Raphael Matos will still have an opportunity to race in the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring after all. The Brazilian, whose chance of running with Risi Competizione ended when the team announced it would not enter the race, will share the Performance Tech PC class entry in the race with Anthony Nicolosi and Ricardo Vera.
Matos has prior ALMS experience in the B-K Motorsport Lola Mazda in P2, and in Risi's Ferrari F458 Italia – albeit briefly, as the car didn't start – at last year's Petit Le Mans. This will mark his first start in the PC category. Matos' only 2012 start to date came in Risi's Grand-Am spec 458 at the Rolex 24 at Daytona.
“I'm extremely excited to be back at Sebring racing for Performance Tech,” Matos said. “I drove their LMPC prototype car at West Palm Beach few months ago and was very impressed with the car's performance. I felt very comfortable within only few laps. I'm looking forward to helping Anthony and Ricardo with my feedback, to make sure we tune the car comfortably for all three drivers, which is very important.”
Vera made a handful of ALMS starts with Intersport Racing in PC a year ago after winning the IMSA Prototype Lites championship, while Nicolosi ran the full season for Performance Tech alongside Jarrett Boon, despite suffering a leg injury in Long Beach.
Matos' addition to the PC field bolsters the class's number of quality pro drivers, as Memo Gidley, Bruno Junqueira, Butch Leitzinger, Colin Braun and Dane Cameron are all scheduled to compete in the class at Sebring.