Conquest Racing With Ferrari showcased impressive speed and resilience in the Twelve Hours of Sebring, but fell short on the final lap of the race. Manny Franco, Daniel Serra, and Cédric Sbirrazzuoli delivered a commanding performance throughout the event, keeping the team in podium contention for the majority of the endurance race. However, a last-lap splash-and-go fuel stop ultimately cost them a top-three finish in heartbreaking fashion.

The weekend began on a positive note, with the team showing competitive pace in every practice session. In Practice 1, Conquest Racing set the third-fastest time, immediately establishing themselves as contenders. Practice 2 saw them finish 12th as they tried various changes, but rebounded in the last Practice session with another P3 finish. Qualifying placed the team ninth on the grid, setting the stage for a strong race strategy.

From the drop of the green flag, Franco, Serra, and Sbirrazzuoli executed a well-balanced race plan, maintaining consistent lap times and strategically positioning the car for a late-race push. The Conquest Racing crew delivered flawless pit stops, and the drivers managed tire degradation and traffic with precision, keeping the #34 Corsa Horizon Ferrari 296 GT3 firmly in the fight. Serra set the fastest lap of the race on two separate occasions, the first time clocking in at an impressive 2:01.088 around the halfway mark, before besting himself in the closing stage of the race with a time of 2:00.716.

As the hours wound down, the team opted for a strategic gamble on fuel, aiming to stretch their final stint to the checkered flag. With just 30 seconds remaining, Conquest Racing was running in podium position. However, a dramatic turn of events unfolded as they were forced to make a splash-and-go pit stop on the final lap, and thus the team lost their shot at the podium, crossing the finish line in 7th place.
Despite the disappointment, the team remains confident in their performance and is eager to carry their momentum into the next round at Long Beach. They currently sit seventh in the GTD class championship standings with 484 points, and will be making a strong push in the upcoming sprint rounds to move up the standings.

“It was an incredible effort by everyone on the team,” said Manny Franco. “The car felt great, and we executed everything perfectly. The strategy was bold, and we almost made it work. It’s tough to lose a podium that way, but we showed we have the speed and the execution to fight at the front. Now, we shift our focus to Long Beach.”

Daniel Serra added: “We took a gamble with the strategy, and this time it didn’t quite pan out the way we had hoped. The positive takeaways are that the car had great pace and if not for the splash-and-go at the end, we would have been able to secure a podium in one of the toughest events on the calendar. The team did a good job, the car was solid, and it was just a shame about that last pit stop. We’ll shift our focus to ensure that we’re strong in the sprint races, and Long Beach is a great event to prove ourselves and bounce back.”

Cédric Sbirrazzuoli echoed the sentiment, stating, “We’re obviously disappointed. When you’re in podium position in the Sebring 12 Hours with only 30 seconds from the end, and you have to refuel, it’s quite painful. We did what we had to do, we were just a bit unlucky with the timing, but it is what it is. This team has what it takes to win, and I’m confident that the results will come.”

With their endurance race pace confirmed, Conquest Racing now turns its attention to the historic Grand Prix of Long Beach on April 12th, the first sprint event of the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship season.