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WEC set to push ahead with two-car Hypercar rule

Ahead of the FIA WEC weekend in Imola, reports emerged that a new rule mandating two cars for each Hypercar manufacturer from the 2025 season onwards was under consideration. RACER believes a vote on this is looming, leaving the current and future …

Ahead of the FIA WEC weekend in Imola, reports emerged that a new rule mandating two cars for each Hypercar manufacturer from the 2025 season onwards was under consideration.

RACER believes a vote on this is looming, leaving the current and future single-car OEMs in the FIA WEC working hard on solutions should they be required to expand their programs going forward to continue racing in the championship, and crucially the Le Mans 24 Hours.

If it is approved by the World Motor Sport Council, it would have an impact on three current Hypercar factories in the WEC: Lamborghini, Isotta Fraschini, and Cadillac, as well as Aston Martin, which originally planned to join the field next year with “at least” a single Valkyrie entered by Heart of Racing.

The good news off the bat, RACER understands, is that all of the OEMs concerned should be able to fulfil this requirement in time for next season. And any associated IMSA programs being run alongside them don’t appear to be under threat at this point either.

Starting with Lamborghini, Iron Lynx team principal Andrea Piccini told RACER during the Imola weekend that if the rule comes into force it “will run two cars”.

“This is a proper partnership (between Iron Lynx and Lamborghini) and any decision made is one we take together,” he said. “We are already thinking and talking about next year. And the WEC is talking about rules for next year, whether it might be mandatory to run two cars. If that is the case we are ready to do it.”

Crucially, Piccini explained that a second car in WEC wouldn’t necessarily come at the expense of its IMSA GTP program, which he says is very important to Lamborghini.

“It’s too early to say, but I think the idea would be in that case to run two (in WEC) and one (in IMSA),” he said. “It’s not easy, we are working on it. But if WEC says we need to run two cars, we will run two cars.”

Cadillac meanwhile, should be ready as it is poised to expand its V-Series.R program in the WEC regardless of the new rule being put in place. This follows its decision, which was first revealed by RACER, to cut ties with Ganassi Racing on both sides of the Atlantic at the end of the current season.

Cadillac is already set to expand its WEC effort. Jakob Ebrey/Motorsport Images

The process of selecting a new partner team for the WEC is well underway and in its final stages. The ultimate decision, plus the subsequent contract signing is not expected until sometime after the Le Mans 24 Hours.

As for Isotta Fraschini, while it is currently navigating the challenges of getting its single-car effort with the Tipo 6-C and partner team Duqueine up to speed, it is known to have ambitions to race with two cars. Ahead of the 2024 FIA WEC entry list reveal Isotta was understood to have made moves to run two cars, before being granted a single space on the grid for the season due to the entry being capped at 37.

Aston Martin is the final piece to this puzzle with its highly-anticipated Valkyrie LMH program that’s set to debut in the WEC and IMSA in 2025.

On the record, when approached for comment on its ability to field two cars next season, Aston Martin said simply:

“We are aware of the rule, we are keeping an eye on it, but we don’t comment on speculation.”

What is clear is that Aston Martin and Heart of Racing’s ambitions to race in both IMSA and the WEC off the bat will make it a hard task to increase its car count in Year 1.

There appear to be four scenarios to consider.

The first is that Heart of Racing operates two Valkyries next season in the WEC and races in IMSA with a single car as planned, though there have been no suggestions made to RACER in background conversations that this is on the cards.

The second is that Heart of Racing runs two cars in the WEC and zero in IMSA. Again, there appears to be no appetite for this. An IMSA GTP program for the Valkyrie is known to be an important part of Gabe Newell and Ian James’ plans.

Third is that Aston Martin pulls the plug on its WEC effort altogether because it cannot or will not commit to a two-car program. This is another highly unlikely scenario, given the amount of resources being poured into the Valkyrie project and the importance placed on competing in the Le Mans 24 Hours.

In conversation with RACER, senior paddock sources appear confident that Aston Martin has a solution and would fulfil the two-car mandate if it is in place. Does that then, leave the potential for a second Valkyrie, operated by a second team, as the most likely solution? Could this be the answer?

For next year, with changes expected to come concerning the look and shape of the current set of teams racing in Hypercar, the grid size is also believed to be increasing to 40 plus.

The question of garage and paddock space at the circuits on the calendar is always a talking point, and there are likely to be some real pinch points going forward as the entry grows. Last weekend in Imola, as an example, multiple LMGT3 teams had to house their cars nose-to-tail in a single garage as a result of the limitations of the pit lane.

Either way, there appears to be no suggestion that factories will walk away if this new rule comes into play. Indeed, the bigger question may well surround the impact it has on the customer marketplace…

Italian marques bring some mixed emotions on home soil

The first-ever FIA WEC race at Imola Sunday brings with it plenty of intrigue and a huge amount of local interest. A bumper crowd is expected trackside, with tens of thousands of fans set to pack the grandstands for the second round of the 2024 …

For the locals, there is a smorgasbord of teams and drivers to root for in the top class, with the Le Mans-winning Ferrari AF Corse team now joined by Lamborghini with its new SC63 and the revived Isotta Fraschini brand. And they all have a different outlook and set of objectives for the six hours of racing to come.

At Ferrari AF Corse, the clear aim is to win on home soil, after it failed to do so last year in Monza in the aftermath of its historic victory in the centenary Le Mans. Ahead of qualifying, Ferrari has flexed its muscles and looks on track to achieve this target, topping all three practice sessions. It then finished 1-2-3 in qualifying with a dominant performance from all three 499Ps.

Antonio Fuoco, who set the fastest time, put in an impressive performance. Robert Shwartzman in the privately funded No. 83 499P, who took second spot on the grid, described the achievement as “undoubtedly excellent” ahead of just his second race in the championship.

Right now, looking at the qualifying results, few would bet against Ferrari winning Sunday at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari. Nevertheless, Fuoco was keen to keep expectations in check in conversation with RACER ahead of the race, as winning here will require more than just raw pace. Traffic management, tire consistency and luck will all play a part, and the feeling at Ferrari is that Porsche and Toyota will be in the mix.

“I think it’s going to be tough because it’s a medium to low-speed track with hairpins and tight corners. It’s hard with the GT cars and it’s very different to the other tracks we will visit this year,” he said.

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He also feels that while there will be an element of a home-field advantage for Ferrari to feed off of, it is important that the team doesn’t get distracted by the occasion.

“It’s special to be here,” he added. “After Monza last year where it was quite special with the fans after Le Mans, I think on race day there will be many fans around the track to see us again. As always, as an Italian, this is an extra boost; they really push us all weekend.

“Last year we finished on the podium (in Monza) which was good, but for sure this weekend we will try to achieve the maximum. We need to be focused to do this because it’s going to be quite tight, and even the weather forecast looks unclear.”

Ferrari’s history in yellow is also an ace up the Italian marque’s sleeve the weekend at Imola. Motorsport Images

A key difference this year to last year’s outing at the “Temple of Speed” is that AF Corse has the benefit of its third 499P, which only increases its chances of a strong result each weekend.

In Qatar, Shwartzman, Yifei Ye and Robert Kubica finished fourth and ahead of both factory cars on debut, providing proof that the No. 83 is not here simply to fill a space on the grid or play second fiddle to the works crews.

“We try to work together as a group and having Robert (Kubica) as part of the team, a driver with a lot of experience, is good for us,” Fuoco responded when asked about the impact that having a third 499P has on race preparation. “We work as a team, share all the information and put it all together.”

Lamborghini, meanwhile, is focused on scoring its first set of WEC points after the SC63 finished 13th on its global debut in the season opener and qualified 16th Saturday. Here, racing on a circuit that it tested on prior to race week, Iron Lynx team principal Andrea Piccini feels confident it will close the performance gap once the green flag drops.

Don’t let the clouds fool you; Lamborghini is staring down their best opportunity yet. They’ve already tested at Imola… Motorsport Images

“This is such a different track to Qatar, which is super flat, and Sebring which is so bumpy. You come here, it’s a super downforce circuit with a lot of curbs, fast entries, and quick changes of direction.” Piccini told RACER.

“It’s a challenge and we have to be realistic. This is a track we have tested on already and we saw the car was competitive in practice. I think this is one of the races where we have the best chance of a good result. I don’t think it’s possible to fight for the podium, but we can fight to score important points for the championship.

“We hope to be fighting closer to the front at Le Mans (in June). But that’s a very high-speed circuit and we don’t know where we will be for a circuit like that. So until the test day there, we just need to prepare as best we can by maximizing what we have here.”

Isotta Fraschini, on the other hand, has a more modest goal of simply finishing the race.

During Qatar week, Isotta took a cautious approach to the track action, treating it as an extended test session before retiring after six hours with a front-suspension issue. Here, with the hybrid system now functioning as intended and the suspension issue diagnosed and rectified, its level of expectation has been raised.

On the pace front, while the Tipo 6-C hasn’t set times capable of challenging the cars at the sharp end of the field ahead of the race this week, it came significantly closer than it ever did at the Lusail circuit during practice.

The team, though, left the circuit Saturday night concerned by its qualifying run. Driver Jean-Karl Vernay told RACER the team was left confused by the results sheet, unable to achieve better lap times than it set in practice despite running with no traffic, low fuel and with new tires. The Frenchman pushed hard, only to end up 4s off pole and dead last.

More of the same from Isotta Fraschini on home soil? So far it looks to be so. Motorsport Images

“It was frustrating,” he said. “Our race pace is good, though we know we are still behind. Yet this afternoon in qualifying — we don’t understand it — we didn’t make a huge step with our setup and our fastest lap of the week came yesterday morning. We were able to do a 1m32.5s after just eight laps on a track I haven’t been to since 2017 (a whole second quicker than the lap in qualifying).”

Like Iron Lynx, the reason everyone within the Isotta organization appears more relaxed is because they have been able to draw from testing experience at Imola during the development phase of the car. This allowed the Duqueine-supported team to head into the first free practice at Imola with a baseline setup to build on.

“We are working hard, taking steps, but the level is so high,” admitted Vernay. “We are motivated as a small team. This is a super-demanding track, but it’s cool to drive. We are looking OK I think. We made a step since Qatar, and we are looking good.

“Qatar was a test session, really — a difficult first meeting. As our car is an LMH car, we have our own hybrid system and it took us a lot of time to ensure it was legal for the FIA. We lost a lot of time in the Prologue because of that, so we didn’t have much time to prepare.

“Since then we haven’t tested but we have done a lot of work at the factory to prepare the car for this weekend. They’ve done a great job because, out of the box here, we have been closer to the front. We are fighting against big guys with more financial support.

“We are going to do all we can now to show we deserve to be here.”

The sleek and stunning Lamborghini through the years

The speedy and sleek Lamborghini through the years

Lamborghini adds Cairoli and Mortara to SC63 LMDh squads

Following recent tests of its new SC63 LMDh car recently completed at Daytona International Speedeway and Circuit of The Americas, Lamborghini Squadra Corse and Iron Lynx have finalized the lineups for the cars that will contest the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and FIA World Endurance Championship in 2024. Edoardo Mortara and Matteo Cairoli join the Sant’Agata Bolognese supercar manufacturer as factory drivers.

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Both drivers tested the car during the team’s final two-day test of the year at COTA this week. The pair, who got their first taste of the SC63 at Jerez in September, will team up with fellow factory drivers Mirko Bortolotti, Andrea Caldarelli, Romain Grosjean and Daniil Kvyat.

Mortara will partner Bortolotti and Kvyat for the FIA WEC season, giving the SC63 its competitive debut in the season-opening Qatar round on March 2. Caldarelli, Grosjean and Cairoli will tackle four rounds of the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup season, starting at Sebring on March 13-17. Both crews will then line up together for the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June.

“We are thrilled to welcome Edoardo and Matteo into our Lamborghini Squadra Corse family,” said Giorgio Sanna, Lamborghini head of motorsport. “Both drivers have a lot of experience and not only bring with them impressive speed and professionalism to the LMDh project in FIA WEC and IMSA, but also the opportunity to use them strategically in some of the biggest GT3 races and championships.”

Swiss driver Mortara, who also holds French and Italian citizenship, brings over a decade of experience racing in high level single-seater and sports car series.

“I am super happy to be joining Lamborghini Squadra Corse, which is allowing me this incredible opportunity to compete in the Le Mans 24 Hours and the World Endurance Championship, both of which I have wanted to take part in for a long time,” said Mortara. “It is a very proud moment for me, and I hope we can achieve some good results next season.”

Italy’s Cairoli, 27, has achieved multiple successes in the WEC and European Le Mans Series in the LMGTE Am category. He was also part of the winning squad in the 24 Hours of Nurburgring in 2021.

“I want to thank Lamborghini Squadra Corse, Giorgio, and the Iron Lynx family, for this amazing opportunity and for believing in me. I am ready to give the best of myself next year; clearly, it’s a dream I have been chasing for a long time and to do it with an Italian brand as an Italian driver has given me even more motivation. The aim is to learn as much as possible about the car for next year, but I am already pumped for the start of the season.”

The SC63 underwent extensive testing in Europe before moving its program to the U.S. Iron Lynx had two days of testing at Daytona during IMSA’s official homologation test last week, where the car proved on pace with the other GTP cars, and tested at COTA this week.

“The Austin test concludes the development phase of the SC63 ahead of the racing debut in Qatar,” said Rouven Mohr, Lamborghini Chief Technical Officer. “Overall, we are satisfied with the maturity of the project so far, which was demonstrated at the Daytona test where we set the fastest time on the first day. Of course, there is still a lot of work behind the scenes to be done before Qatar.”

Iron Lynx still fine-tuning lineups for WEC LMDh, GT3 entries

The driver roster for Iron Lynx’s FIA World Endurance Championship effort in 2024 is beginning to take shape, after four names were confirmed this morning in the wake of the series’ provisional full-season entry list being revealed. In Hypercar, …

In Hypercar, Mirko Bortolotti will race alongside Daniil Kvyat in the No. 63 Lamborghini SC63 LMDh prototype (pictured above). The pair have been confirmed for the WEC program after playing a key role in the development of the SC63, which has been track testing since the summer ahead of its global race debut in 2024.

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Both drivers were previously announced as Squadra Corse factory drivers for the LMDh program, though it wasn’t clear which championship they would compete in, as Iron Lynx will also undertake a partial IMSA Endurance Cup campaign next year in GTP with an SC63.

33-year-old Italian Bortolotti joins the WEC’s top class with Iron Lynx following a lengthy spell as a Lamborghini driver that dates back to 2014. Kvyat, meanwhile, was welcomed into the project by Lamborghini earlier this year and competed as part of PREMA’s 2023 FIA WEC LMP2 campaign. The 29-year-old has 110 Formula 1 starts to his name.

Elsewhere, long-time Lamborghini driver, Andrea Caldarelli has also been confirmed for the 2024 season, though he will concentrate on the brand’s partial 2024 IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup campaign in GTP.

In addition to confirming the roles of three of its prototype drivers, Iron Lynx has also confirmed that the SC63 will take part in the IMSA test at Daytona next month in what will be the car’s first official appearance in North America.

However, Iron Lynx will sit out the 2024 Rolex 24 At Daytona as the SC63’s development and homologation processes reach their final stages. The target for the car’s race debut is the opening round of the ]WEC season in Qatar on March 2.

“Today’s announcement is particularly significant,” said Iron Lynx team principal and CEO Andrea Piccini. “Having the first names allocated to our roster brings us closer to our 2024 debut, and marks a new phase in the development of this project.

“We already worked with Mirko, Daniil and Andrea this year, and we were impressed by their skills, experience, and professionalism. I cannot wait to reveal our full line-ups and see where the future will bring us.”

Iron Lynx also received confirmation this morning that it will represent Lamborghini in the WEC’s new LMGT3 class, with a pair of Huracan GT3 EVO 2s.

Two drivers have been confirmed thus far, with Claudio Schiavoni set to race the No. 60 Iron Lynx-entered Huracan and Danish racer Michelle Gatting signed to form part of the “Iron Dames” trio that will race with No. 85. Gatting was part of the winning Iron Dames lineup in the 8 Hours of Bahrain earlier this month in GTE Am, which was the first in an FIA world championship for an all-female crewed car.

Lamborghini completes three-day Hypercar test in Spain

Lamborghini Squadra Corse and Iron Lynx’s SC63 LMDh test program continued this week at the Circuito de Almeria in Spain, completing a productive three days of running. The car, which will make its competitive debut at the FIA World Endurance …

Lamborghini Squadra Corse and Iron Lynx’s SC63 LMDh test program continued this week at the Circuito de Almeria in Spain, completing a productive three days of running.

The car, which will make its competitive debut at the FIA World Endurance Championship 2024 season opener in Qatar next March, was shared by factory drivers Andrea Caldarelli and Romain Grosjean, the latter turning his first laps in the car.

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During the test, the single test car completed nearly 2000km of running across the three days, as the team focused on reliability and procedural work, meeting the team’s distance target. The team concentrated on long runs on the 4.2km circuit.

It was also a crucial run for Grosjean. The former Formula 1 driver, who was signed as a factory driver by Lamborghini for the LMDh program last year, used the chance to get his first experience in the SC63, and was full of positivity from the experience.

“It was a very intense three days, but I am very happy to have been able to work the team and the car on the track for the first time. The car proved to be very good from the first laps and I can’t wait to put even more kilometers on it during the next tests.

“It felt really good, and I am happy to be in Almeria with the whole team and discovering all the people and the work that has been going on behind the scenes.

“So, I am very excited to be here, the car felt really good from the beginning but obviously we still have a bit of a journey [ahead of us]. But the work that has been done prior to my arrival has been very good and I am looking forward to learning more about the car.”

The test program will continue in Europe next week. Subsequently, the test team will move to the United States to continue the homologation process by IMSA and for a series of tests on North American tracks.

Lamborghini begins testing new hypercar

The brand-new Lamborghini SC63 LMDh has completed its first major test with the Iron Lynx team at Imola, following the car’s reveal at the Goodwood Festival of Speed and initial shakedown at Vallelunga. The SC63, which is set to compete in the full …

The SC63, which is set to compete in the full FIA WEC and select IMSA Endurance Cup races next season, was driven by Lamborghini Squadra Corse drivers Mirko Bortolotti, Andrea Caldarelli, and Daniil Kvyat at the Italian circuit.

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During the test, in which Iron Lynx completed 1500 kilometres of running, the Italian works team calibrated the car’s new V8 engine, speed limiter and traction control systems and set up its Xtrac gearbox. It also collected valuable aero and cooling data from the run.

“It’s the first time that we’re involved in such a big project starting from scratch,” said Andrea Piccini, Iron Lynx’s team principal and CEO.

“There are many people working together and the first task is to create the right atmosphere and build a team. Since we drove the car out of the pits in Vallelunga last week, the drivers reported a generally positive feeling.

“We didn’t suffer any major issues, step by step we’re driving longer stints, learning the car and getting faster. Still, a long way to go, a lot of debugging and development needed, but the first impression is definitely positive!”

The SC63 is the first LMDh-rules prototype to be based on a Ligier chassis ‘spine’ and is powered by an all-new 3.8-litre twin turbo V8 engine that has been developed by Lamborghini engineers specifically for the program.

Lamborghini is targeting the FIA WEC 2024 season opener in Qatar next March for the car’s race debut. It is not going to be ready in time for an appearance at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona in January, the first event on the new-look, five-round IMSA WeatherTech Endurance Cup schedule.

Lamborghini reveals SC63 LMDh at Goodwood

In it’s 60th year as a car company, sports car manufacturer Lamborghini is taking its first steps into the motorsports world beyond GT racing with the SC63, its hybrid prototype race car built to the LMDh ruleset and destined for GTP in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and Hypercar in the FIA World Endurance Championship. The car was fully revealed today at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

“This year marks not only the 60th anniversary of our brand, but also the 10th anniversary of Squadra Corse, Lamborghini’s motorsport division,” said Girogio Sanna, Lamborghini’s head of motorsport. “Over the last decade we have achieved great results. Starting from scratch, we have won some of the most prestigious endurance races in the GT category for our production-based racing cars. These include three class wins at the Daytona 24 Hours and two wins in a row at the Sebring 12 Hours. Now we are ready for what is our biggest step into the future of motorsport, measuring ourselves against the best manufacturers in the world.”

Developed in conjunction with Ligier, the SC63 is the first LMDh car in which the French race car constructor has had a hand. The internal combustion engine is a 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 developed specifically for the racing program. It’s a “cold V” configuration with the turbos mounted outside the v-angle of the engine for serviceability as well as a lower center of gravity. As with all LMDh cars, it uses a spec hybrid system with a maximum combined output of 670hp.

With Lamborghini the only manufacturer engaging Ligier for the SC63, there was a certain freedom afforded the car company in the design of the pushrod front suspension, as well as weight distribution and designing the car to be worked on and repaired easily.

The body and aerodynamics follow what has become a familiar pattern with LMDh cars, including a rear wing as the adjustable aerodynamic element that is mated with a central vertical fin. The bodywork was designed by Lamborghini’s Centro Stile department in conjunction with the race design team and feature elements heavily influenced by current Lamborghini road car design, notably the Y-shaped lights front and rear.

Pressure-relief holes in the fenders run lengthwise, blending into louvered rear vents on both the front and rear fenders. Multiple air intakes on both sides of the car feed eight different radiators to handle engine cooling, intercoolers, gearbox, Energy Recovery and Storage System cooling, and the condenser for the air conditioning.

“From the beginning, my personal briefing to the design team was that the car needs to be highly functional, but we wanted to create a car that is immediately recognizable as Lamborghini,” explained Mitja Borkert, head of design at Centro Stile. “The main recognition of the front and rear of the SC63 is driven by the Y-shaped signature light. The size of the cabin and the main character of the car is driven by the sporting rules, but we have also implemented our own brand styling cues throughout the car.

“Integrated into the side panel of the body you can see a NACA duct that was inspired by the air intake of the Countach. When you look at the rear wheel arch, we gave the impression of acceleration towards the front, and this relates to the wheel arch design language of Lamborghini that can also be seen on the Revuelto.”

The Revuelto is the latest supercar from Lamborghini, and the first real production model to feature a hybrid powertrain.

The SC63 has been developed with a lot of Driver-in-the-Loop simulation work by Lamborghini factory drivers Andrea Caldarelli, Mirko Bortolotti, Romain Grosjean and Daniil Kvyat, the latter two having experience with hybrid race cars from their Formula 1 experience. Those four drivers will continue with on-track testing and make up part of the racing lineup as well, with others to be named later.

Lamborghini has committed one car each to WEC and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Michelin Endurance Cup. The cars will be run, as are the company’s factory GT3 programs this season, by new partner Iron Lynx.

“Being involved in such an ambitious project is a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said Andrea Piccini, Iron Lynx team principal and CEO. “We are honored and extremely excited to be a part of it and start a new chapter for Iron Lynx with Lamborghini. It’s been amazing to see everything finally come together for the reveal of the SC63. Everyone at Iron Lynx is eager for testing to get underway. This undoubtedly is one of the biggest challenges we’ve ever faced as a team, and we are now looking forward to seeing the SC63 on track.”

The SC63 represents Lamborghini’s first foray into non-GT racing (outside the ill-fated Formula 1 attempt in 1991). The LMDh formula, being based around a hybrid powertrain, came at the right time as Lamborghini was developing hybrid road cars. And while Lamborghini has made its name with screaming V12 and V10 engines, the twin-turbo V8 made more sense within the rules; since maximum output is regulated, teh focus was centered more on efficiency. In addition the Lamborghini Urus uses a twin-turbo V8, as likely will the replacement for the Huracán.

“The SC63 is the most advanced racing car ever produced by Lamborghini and it follows our roadmap ‘Direzione Cor Tauri’ laid out by the brand for the electrification of our product range,” said Stephan Winkelmann, Lamborghini chairman and CEO. “The opportunity to compete in some of the biggest endurance races in the world with a hybrid prototype fits with our vision for the future of high-performance mobility, as demonstrated for road-legal cars with the launch of the Revuelto. The SC63 LMDh is the step into the highest echelons and into the future of motorsports for our Squadra Corse.”

Lamborghini’s racing revamp prepares to enter the place “where the air gets thin”

Automobili Lamborghini is celebrating its 60th year as a car company, and while its planned celebration of that milestone two weeks ago was curtailed by the flooding in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy – the same flooding that scuttled the F1 Grand Prix at Imola – the company has much to look forward to in the coming year with the launch of the new Revuelto and its LMDh car entering WEC and IMSA competition next year.

Unlike its rival down the road in Maranello, racing hasn’t been a part of Lamborghini’s DNA. But what started off with a one-make series that led to a tentative step into GT3 with the Gallardo that was then followed by a headlong dive with the Huracan, is heading to the pinnacle of sports car racing next year with its twin-turbo V8 powered LMDh car.

“When Ferruccio Lamborghini founded the company, he said, ‘I don’t have to prove anything, the racetrack is fine like that,’” explains Lamborghini CEO Stephen Winkelmann. “So it’s the opposite of our main competitor. We decided when we had the facelift of the Gallardo years ago that this would be a good opportunity to start with Super Trofeo, to start with racing again, because we strongly believe that we have to prove something also on the racetrack.

“There is a huge fan community. Besides that, there is a transfer in terms of development. It’s part of the super sports car DNA to go racing – this is the simple fact. And then we had a lot of gentleman drivers who were asking for this. So there were a lot of things coming together. And now step by step, we’re getting nearer to where the air gets thin.”

The Gallardo platform was the basis for the first Lamborghini Super Trofeo car, as well as the bones of the company’s first GT3 car, which was built by Reiter Engineering. With the Gallardo’s successor, the Huracan, Lamborghini Squadra Corse, the manufacturer’s motorsports arm, brought the GT3 program in-house. Now both the Super Trofeo and Huracan GT3 are on the second evolutions, based on the ultimate Huracan, the STO.

Super Trofeo runs three championships – the IMSA-sanctioned North America series, Europe and Asia. The North American season-opener at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca featured 32 entries; similar numbers were featured in the resumption of the Asia series. This weekend’s Europe opener at Paul Ricard will have nearly 50 entries, including five from the Iron Lynx team that is running GT3 programs in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Michelin Endurance Cup as well as GT World Challenge Europe, and will run the LMDh program in WEC and IMSA next year.

“On the Super Trofeo side, we are doing very well,” says Vice President of Motorsport Maruizio Reggiani. “We have sold out 60 cars that we are delivering worldwide, more than 20 GT3 cars. We also have more requests than what we can offer, honestly. So in terms of sales and business, we are really satisfied.”

The Super Trofeo is very close, and in some parameters exceeds, the Huracan GT3 car. That makes for a good progression from one to the other.

Super Trofeo helped put Lamborghini back on the competition map, and in its current guise, serves as a strong launch pad for drivers aiming to move into GT3 Image by Lamborghini

“When we decided to develop the Huracan Super Trofeo, the target was to develop a car that has to be a sort of scholarship car,” says Reggiani.

“So it is today still the only one-make series car with the same technical contents of the GT3, because we have a car with a very sophisticated aerodynamics like the GT3, with the traction control and ABS adjustable from the steering wheel, with a pure race engine management So, when the gentlemen or young drivers move from the Super Trofeo into the GT3, they feel immediately comfortable and competitive.

“In the last few years we have already experienced in gentleman drivers winning Spa 24 in Pro-Am class, the IMSA WeatherTech Championship, so we we take care about the wishes of our customers and drivers to grow in motorsport. So the Super Trofeo into the GT3 and starting also with the technical support that we offer to them within dedicated engineers and technical support that make the difference when they are on the track.”

In the coming months, the LMDh car that will compete in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTP category and the WEC Hypercar class, making the company’s Le Mans debut a year from now, will get extensive track testing and a full reveal of its specs. LMDh makes sense as Lamborghini is venturing into hybridization with the new plug-in Revuelto that has a 147hp electric motor supplementing the 814hp V12. But while Lamborghini made its name with outrageous V12- and V10-powered sports cars, the basis for the LMDh engine will instead be plucked from the Urus SUV.

“You build the engine not because you want to build the engine, it’s based on on the regulations,” explains Giorgio Sanna, head of Lamborghini Motorsport. “And since LMDh is for sure a more, let me say, efficiency-oriented regulation based on the limit of the maximum power system power output, a V12 simply doesn’t make sense from the technical side even if you would like to. It simply technically doesn’t make sense based on these regulations.”

Iron Lynx will run the car, and Squadra Corse has added some star drivers such as Romain Grosjean and Daniil Kvyat to its roster that already included GT aces such as Marco Mapelli, Andrea Caldarelli, Jordan Pepper and Mirko Bortolotti. While Iron Lynx was most recently associated with another Italian manufacturer, Lamborghini saw it as the perfect partner to moved forward into LMDh. Iron Lynx is under the same ownership umbrella as PREMA, an Italian team that competes across the open-wheel development ladder in Europe as well as in WEC LMP2; PREMA Engineering will provide technical and engineering support for the Lamborghini LMDh car.

“I think this is a wedding that comes from both sides, in the right moment probably from both sides,” says Reggiani. “We are extremely proud about this partnership. We are talking about an Italian team with already strong results in the GT World Challenge. They are young like us, because they created the team basically when Squadra Corse was born. We are looking to put in place a very solid program that pass through the Iron Dames to the GT3 program in the Pro and Pro-AM category and arrive at the pinnacle of our platform with LMDh, without forgetting Super Trofeo.”

For a company that has not had much history in motorsports, Lamborghini has been steadily increasing its presence over the past decade as it moves into sports car racing’s top tiers. It’s partnered with a stellar team, and bolstering its driver roster with some heavy armament. And while Ferruccio Lamborghini’s words about the company not having to prove itself on the racetrack ring true – every sports car the company will build in 2023 and probably well into 2024 is already sold – the company sees value in bolstering its super sports car reputation and using motorsport to improve the product. This bull is ready to charge.

Bortolotti prepping for Lamborghini LMDh program with Prema in LMP2

Lamborghini factory driver Mirko Bortolotti says his campaign with Prema Racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship this season is a vital part of the build-up to the debut of the Lamborghini LMDh prototype in 2024. The Italian, who is driving …

The Italian, who is driving the No. 63 Prema Racing ORECA with Doriane Pin and fellow future Lamborghini LMDh driver Daniil Kvyat, is using the WEC program as a chance to get track time in a prototype alongside his development work behind the scenes on the forthcoming Ligier-based car.

While the unnamed Lamborghini LMDh isn’t ready to race yet, Bortolotti says he has already been spending significant chunks of time undergoing simulator work as the team finalizes the concept for the car, which RACER understands will begin testing this summer.

“We are working on the car intensively,” he said. “There will be news soon. I am deeply involved in the car’s development — we are using every free day of the week on it, mainly on the simulator at the moment.

“I am not the only driver involved in development, because my schedule is quite busy I am trying to find a compromise between racing and being involved in the development of the car. I have had to step out of some important races this year to free up time for LMDh development.”

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Alongside that, competing alongside Kvyat — who was confirmed as an LMDh driver for Lamborghini just this month — is very important for him as he prepares to immerse himself in the factory team project. Kvyat is the fourth driver confirmed for the program, following the news from last year that Bortolotti, Andrea Caldarelli and Romain Grosjean would be part of the team.

Bortolotti told RACER he knew going into the season that Kvyat would be confirmed as a driver for 2024 long before it was made public ahead of the 6 Hours of Portimao and has made a point of getting acquainted with the former F1 racer.

“We want to get to know each other, to start working on procedures, to have a season together. Whatever we do, it doesn’t matter if it’s for Prema or me, what matters is that it’s a winning mentality.

“We haven’t known each other for long. But I knew him obviously from his Formula 1 career — he doesn’t need an introduction, we know how good he is. We are really happy to have him as part of the team, it’s a privilege. We are a strong team together and we are looking at the future.”

However, Bortolotti doesn’t yet know whether he will share a car with Kvyat in 2024, as Lamborghini hasn’t yet decided on its driver lineups.

The plan is rapidly coming together, though. The Iron Lynx-run effort will compete in the full WEC and in IMSA’s endurance races, both with a single car, with a second car planned for the major races like the Le Mans 24 Hours and Rolex 24 At Daytona.

Customer cars will also be made become available, though the timeline for this hasn’t yet been made clear by the Italian marque. It also isn’t yet entirely clear whether or not the car will be ready to compete at the 2024 Rolex 24 in January. The amount of progress made in the coming weeks will be the deciding factor.

Prema Racing’s LMP2 effort with drivers (left to right) Doriane Pin, Mirko Bortolotti and Daniil Kvyat is laying the groundwork for the forthcoming Lamborghini Hypercar program. Motorsport Images

Before that, Bortolotti is focused on getting the most out of his 2023 LMP2 program in the WEC. After a podium at Sebring and a fourth-place finish in Portimao, he and his teammates are firmly in championship contention.

“It’s been really good,” he said when asked to assess the season so far. “We have Doriane (Pin), who has a lot to learn, but she is very mature and quick. She is in the perfect environment with us. I look forward to her development this year. We have had a good start to the season so it would be a lie to say we don’t want to do well in the championship. It’s important to build. We will see where we are in the standings at the end of the year.

“We need to be honest that our main target this season is to work together. The best team-building, though, is being successful. It’s a great opportunity.

“I have been with Lamborghini since I was in Super Trofeo in 2014, which was almost a road-legal car. This journey through thick and thin and being successful internationally at big races and championships brought us here now, and we are really proud to make this big step into Hypercar.”