Brazilian Celso Neto Leads First Half of the Race at Sebring, but Pit Stop Issue Denies Podium Finish

Sebring (USA), March 17, 2025

Last Friday (14), the Sebring International Raceway in Florida hosted the second round of the Michelin Pilot Challenge, one of the IMSA - International Motor Sport Association categories. Brazilian driver Celso Neto (AMED / Dipromed / LS Interbank / SODI USA by Velocity Racing / Team: Precision Racing LA) arrived at the track with the clear goal of repeating the success of the previous round, where he climbed the podium in third place at Daytona.

Celso, who represents the Precision Racing LA team, shared the wheel of car number 7 with American Ryan Eversley. After the practice sessions, the duo showed good pace and secured a spot on the second row in qualifying, with Celso taking responsibility for the start of the two-hour race.

At the start, the Brazilian didn't waste any time: he launched with determination and, within a few laps, took the lead of the race. Under constant pressure from his rivals, Neto maintained a strong and consistent pace, holding off the pack for over an hour in a performance that caught everyone's attention.

However, the race took a different turn during the pit stop. During the driver change and refueling, a procedural error forced Ryan Eversley, who took over the Audi RS3 LMS, to reduce his pace to ensure he could finish. The need for an extra stop cost them valuable positions, and the duo crossed the finish line in eighth place.

Celso Neto didn't hide his mixed feelings after the race: "A race that was, on the one hand, really great, and on the other, we suffered a bit. I led the race for over an hour, which was cool. Holding off the entire pack, I was very happy with that. Unfortunately, there was an issue with refueling during the pit stop, which hurt us. We had to make a second stop to reach the end, which made things very difficult. In the end, we finished eighth, but we'll move on to the next one."

Despite the unexpected result, Celso's performance at the front of the race reinforced his ability to fight for top positions in one of the most competitive categories in North American motorsport. The duo won the "Michelin Moment of the Race," an award from Michelin voted on by American network NBC commentators for their outside passes to take the lead and their strong performance during the race's first stint.

"Winning the Michelin Moment of the Race proves that we had a great performance and that a better result didn't come down to a small detail. I thank all the journalists who voted for our team. This gives us even more motivation," added the Brazilian.

The next round of the Michelin Pilot Challenge will take place from May 9 to 11 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California. Celso and Eversley are already focused on bouncing back and, who knows, climbing the podium again, just like in the season opener.


Text by Natally Domingos / KMCom Press

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