The 1961 12 Hours of Sebring, held on March 25, 1961, was the opening round of the World Sportscar Championship and marked one of Ferrari’s most dominant performances in the event’s history. The overall victory went to Phil Hill and Olivier Gendebien, driving a Ferrari 250 TRI/61 for Scuderia Ferrari. Hill and Gendebien delivered a commanding drive, covering 1,740.666 kilometers (1,081.7 miles) over the 12-hour endurance contest, and finishing several laps ahead of the field. Their win further solidified Ferrari’s growing dominance in international endurance racing during the early 1960s.
Ferrari controlled the race from early on, with multiple factory entries setting a strong pace. The closest challengers came from Porsche, as Bob Holbert and Roger Penske drove their Porsche 718 RS 61 to a strong fifth-place overall finish, also claiming victory in the 1600cc sports car class. The Sebring race once again highlighted the brutal nature of endurance competition, with mechanical failures and attrition playing major roles across all classes. The Hill–Gendebien victory was a cornerstone result in Ferrari’s successful 1961 World Sportscar Championship campaign, which ultimately culminated in the manufacturer securing the season title.
