12h Sebring 2025 – Race Recap

20 March 2026

Race Recap
ROUND 2 – MOBIL 1 TWELVE HOURS OF SEBRING

Sebring’s air once again suits TDS Racing.
Second last year in LMP2, the trio of Steven Thomas, Hunter McElrea, and Mikkel Jensen returned from the 2025 edition of the 12 Hours of Sebring with a hard-fought third place, having led the race for a long period early on.

Already comfortable in free practice, the team’s #11 Oreca, run by Xavier Combet and Jacques Morello, shone in qualifying thanks to an outstanding performance by Bronze driver Steven Thomas. Securing his first pole position under the French colors—and the sixth of his career—the American earned the chance to lead the LMP2 pack at the Saturday start.

Under the Florida sun, the East Point (Georgia) native set a fierce pace through the first third of the race. Leading at the four-hour mark, Mikkel Jensen secured valuable intermediate points counting towards the Michelin Endurance Cup.

The pace stayed high, but a Full Course Yellow neutralization forced the team to adjust their strategy, causing the #11 Oreca to lose positions before halfway, crossing the mid-point in fourth place.

Another neutralization worked in the team’s favor, allowing them to complete Steven Thomas’s mandatory driving time and climb back to third place before nightfall. Unfortunately, Hunter McElrea was involved in a collision with another car, costing the #11 dearly, followed by a penalty shortly after. Despite these setbacks, a final effective night stint by Mikkel Jensen—who also set the fastest LMP2 lap of the race—helped TDS Racing recover to finish third, just five seconds behind the leader.

Xavier Combet, TDS Racing Team Principal:
“We were always at the front, right from free practice. Steven brilliantly did his part, both in qualifying and at the start of the race. We expected the race to be eventful. Steven was consistent and stayed in front despite the neutralizations, extending the gap on the competition. Hunter and Mikkel perfectly took over with the goal of maximizing intermediate points. Our strategy was to put Steven Thomas back in the car before night to allow him to complete his mandatory driving time. But we got caught out by a neutralization forcing an emergency stop, which meant Hunter had to get back in, delaying our strategy. We made multiple stops to keep as much fuel as possible. Hunter’s collision is frustrating as the race direction deemed it a racing incident. We were also surprised by the race scenario when we anticipated a pit stop during an on-track incident that should have saved us time—but it didn’t this time. Mikkel and the team’s good strategy did the job at the end of the race. It’s not the result we hoped for given our pace with all three drivers, both over a single lap and average times. There’s some frustration, but we scored big championship points.”

Mikkel Jensen, TDS Racing Driver:
“Mixed feelings. We had an excellent car, but the race was chaotic with too many mistakes preventing us from fighting for the win at the end. Steven did a great job this weekend by taking pole and avoiding trouble early on, so obviously we’re not happy with third place.”

Hunter McElrea, TDS Racing Driver:
“TDS, Mikkel, and Steven all performed excellently this weekend. I’m very happy with Steven’s performance in qualifying and his stints. We had a very fast car, but unfortunately, a few errors put us in a tough spot. Thanks to great driving from Mikkel, we fought back onto the podium. There’s plenty to improve for Watkins Glen, but we’re looking forward to continuing the championship fight with the team.”

Steven Thomas, TDS Racing Driver:
“It’s really nice for an ‘old timer’ to get pole. The great thing about qualifying for a Bronze driver is that we’re all at the limit of our abilities. Here at Sebring, with all the bumps, it’s a real challenge to stay on the limit every corner and throughout the lap. Hunter and Mikkel coached me and helped me get this pole, which I really appreciate. Qualifying the car means a lot, as you feel like you’re really contributing to the result. We also start the race, which lets you put your team in a good position. I think qualifying is very important for all Bronze drivers because it lets us play a role in the race, which we want. We always want to be on the top step, but we’re proud of the podium after 12 hours against one of the best LMP2 fields ever.”

S T A T I S T I C S

  • Distance: 2076.44 KM (1297.78 MILES)

  • Fastest lap in race by Mikkel: 1:50.860

  • Laps completed: 347

  • Pit stops: 21

  • Participations: 4

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