Alessandro Latif netted a hard earned eighth place on the British youngster’s Sebring 12 Hour endurance sportscar race debut on Saturday (15 March).

The 17-year-old Londoner shared an Audi R8 LMS with Nelson Canache Jr (VEN), Spencer Pumpelly (USA) and Markus Winkelhock (D) in the annual Florida race.

Competing in the GTD category, Latif’s Flying Lizard Motorsports Audi had started the 62nd running of the Sebring race from 22nd in class on the 63-car grid.

“That was without doubt the most demanding, physically and mentally draining race I’ve ever contested in my short motor racing career,” confirmed Alessandro.

“Having ran competitively in the top-four for the opening quarter of the race, I’m a little disappointed to have only ultimately finished eighth but considering the quality and size of the opposition that I was competing against, I nevertheless will take a number of positives from the performance.”  

The Latif Audi led its class 90mins into the race while Alessandro himself ran third approaching one-quarter distance but was forced to make an unscheduled pit-stop to replace a punctured tyre dropping to 14th.

Having impressively worked his way back up in to the top-three, Latif unluckily collected another rear puncture necessitating a further unscheduled pit-stop with four hours gone.

The unfortunate Briton re-joined the race in 15th place completing a gruelling 2hrs 43mins stint behind the wheel in the hot, energy-sapping midday 80° Fahrenheit ambient temperatures.

Latif was back in the Audi an hour before sunset placed 12th but made up two places in his one-hour stint behind the wheel with consistently fast lap times around the fast and bumpy track.

Over the final five hours, Alessandro’s co-drivers made up another four places despite a further two punctures.

Alessandro added: “We fought back after my two punctures only to get another two in the last half of the race which was hugely frustrating.

“Additionally we didn’t get much luck to pull any time back during the numerous Safety Car periods but it’s been a tremendous experience.

“There was so much carnage and I was pleased to steer clear of any accidents even if I was unable to prevent driving over small pieces of [wreckage] debris that caused my punctures.

“The Daytona 24 Hours was tough but even though this race was half the duration, this was more exhausting but I was pleased with the way I coped with its demands”.

Latif, who has now recorded a fifth and an eighth in his first two races of 2014, now focuses his attention in concluding a race programme for the remainder of the year.

He added: “I’m close to agreeing an arrangement that will see me racing regularly in Europe. It’s very exciting and will continue to move my career in the right direction.

“I’d love to race in the US again later this year for Flying Lizards. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my drives with them at Daytona and Sebring.

“I’ve been very impressed with the American team and it’s been a great experience and a good, solid start to my racing year. So it would be perfect to contest a race like Petit Le Mans in Atlanta with them later this year.”