Sportscar and Audi fans will have one final chance at Sebring to see the German marque’s famous prototypes in action with Audi announcing a return to the race for 2013.

While the team is concentrating on the World Endurance Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Audi has now added the Twelve Hours of Sebring to its 2013 race schedule.

This year will mark the end of an era with P1 cars running at the tradition-steeped Sebring 12 Hours for the last time before the new merged series combining the American Le Mans Series and the GRAND-AM Rolex Series come together.

“We’re in for a very emotional race weekend on which we’ll be taking the fans along on a journey into our past,” says Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich.

“Sebring is where Audi’s sports car era that has been so successful began. We expect that with two current hybrid models we’ll be battling for overall victory at the 12-hour race for the last time this year. At the same time, on the fringes of the race, the fans can look forward to seeing four other race cars and several race drivers who made history at Sebring with Audi.”

In addition to a 2012-generation Audi R18 e-tron quattro, an updated version of the prototype will be on the grid in Florida. Marcel Fässler/Oliver Jarvis/Benoît Tréluyer (CH/GB/F) and Lucas di Grassi/Tom Kristensen/Allan McNish (BR/DK/GB) will be driving the two hybrid race cars in the race. With six victories under his belt, Kristensen holds the record at this event.

In 13 runs at the sports car classic to date, Audi has clinched 22 podium positions including ten overall victories. Right on the debut, on March 20, 1999, three Audi drivers – Michele Alboreto/Dindo Capello/Stefan Johansson – were on the podium. Audi Sport Team Joest was the race team back then, as it is today.