By: Double Apex
It’s odd to think that Lamborghini has never been involved in top-flight motorsport in a works capacity. The brand has built its reputation on speed and power. However, it has not raced in Formula One or at the pinnacle of endurance racing. That will soon change as the House of the Raging Bull pulled the wraps off the Lamborghini SC63 endurance racer.
The Lamborghini SC63 will compete in the Hypercar class of the 2024 FIA WEC, which includes the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It will also race in the GTP class of the IMSA Sports Car Championship Endurance Cup in the US.
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Both series have enjoyed something of a resurgence over the last few years. Many major players have joined or returned to the fold. These include Cadillac, Ferrari, Vanwall, Porsche, BMW and now Lamborghini.
“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,” says Stephan Winkelmann, Lamborghini chairman and CEO.
The Lamborghini SC63 is powered by a 3,8-litre twin-turbocharged V8 that has been developed specifically for the racing program. Power from the engine and the hybrid system is limited to 500 kW, as per the rules. The LMDh rule set specifies a standard gearbox, battery and motor generator unit.
Driver Line-Up
Lamborghini factory drivers Mirko Bortolotti and Andrea Caldarelli, are joined by former F1 pilots Daniil Kvyat and Romain Grosjean in the endurance racing programme. Other drivers will be confirmed later in 2023. Could a South African name be among them…
Starting next year, one car will compete in the full FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). The second car will race in the North American Endurance Championship races of the IMSA series. The cars will be run by Iron Lynx, who are no strangers to endurance racing.
In His Own Words
“Motorsport is, to us, also a valuable and demanding proving ground for our technology,” states Rouven Mohr, Lamborghini chief technical officer “Our LMDh car, the Lamborghini SC63, is an exciting challenge from both a technical and a human standpoint. The development of our internal combustion engine, aerodynamically efficient bodywork and the overall technical package is a process that has pushed us to constantly raise our own standards.
“Now, it is time to put the wheels in motion, literally, on track in order to be ready and competitive for the 2024 season. As we develop our LMDh car, we are also mindful of the technology transfer opportunities. We will take our learning experiences from motorsport and apply them where possible to our future production cars.”
Story courtesy of Double Apex