Huracán GT3 Customer Teams to represent Lamborghini Squadra Corse in first 24 hours of Daytona appearance
Sant’Agata Bolognese, 21 September 2015. The Lamborghini Huracán GT3 will make its North American GT3 racing debut with confirmed entries into the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GT Daytona (GTD) class in 2016.
The official debut will be in the 24 Hours at Daytona on Jan. 30-31 with multiple customer teams, continuing Lamborghini Squadra Corse’s tradition of customer support. There will be no factory entries, but all customer-racing teams will have factory support.
Lamborghini’s move into GTD comes as the class adopts the 2016 FIA GT3 specifications for all of its entries.
“We are only focused and committed to customer racing,” Automobili Lamborghini Head of Motorsport Giorgio Sanna said. “For us, GT3 is the pinnacle of our strategy. We are excited to make this next step in North America as our motorsport program competes for the first time in Lamborghini history in the 24 Hours at Daytona and in multiple full-season GTD efforts.”
The 585-horsepower Huracán GT3 was born from a desire to offer factory-built and supported cars to customers worldwide. It is the first GT3 car to be fully engineered, developed and assembled internally by Automobili Lamborghini.
The move to GT3 racing in North America is the exciting next step as the Lamborghini Motorsport program continues to build its racing ladder. The GT3 program is the top step of an impressive pyramid, which includes Lamborghini Esperienza and Accademia and three Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo series worldwide.
There are direct connections between two of the confirmed GT3 entries and Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo North America, which is in its third season. Change Racing and O’Gara Motorsports both will add Lamborghini Huracán GT3 programs in addition to their existing Super Trofeo North America efforts in 2016. In addition Konrad Motorsport, a powerful Super Trofeo Europe team, has confirmed participation in the 24 Hours at Daytona with the Huracán GT3.
Change Racing has been in the fold since the North American series inception in 2013. Change Racing is a past team champion and has fielded the driver champion two years in a row, in addition to winning the 2014 Pro-Am Super Trofeo World Finals.
“I’m very proud to have the opportunity to grow our relationship with Lamborghini and compliment our Super Trofeo program with a GTD effort for 2016,” Change Racing Team Principal Robby Benton said. “We’ve been fortunate enough to build a resume and footprint in the North American Super Trofeo Series and this is a logical next step for us. Lamborghini Squadra Corse has a very talented group supporting its customer-racing program. I have a lot of confidence in Lamborghini Squadra Corse and its vision for 2016.”
O’Gara Motorsport team owner Tom O’Gara has been involved with the Super Trofeo series in North American since 2013, but this is the first year for the team as a solo entrant. The team leads the championship in the team and Pro and Amateur driver categories.
“We are very excited that O’Gara Motorsport will be participating in the inaugural season of the Lamborghini GT3 program in North America,” O’Gara Motorsport Team Owner Tom O’Gara said. “We’ve won several races this season and have led the championship since the first race of our inaugural season of competition as a team. I’m confident that our GTD team next year will continue to showcase their hard work and commitment to achieving the winning tradition that we expect in our organization. We are also happy to create an opportunity for drivers to advance their careers after achieving success in our Super Trofeo program. Our team and I are looking forward to this next challenge.”
Konrad Motorsport fields a three-car effort in Super Trofeo Europe this season. This will be a return appearance to the 24 Hours at Daytona for the team, which is no stranger to endurance racing, but the first with Lamborghini.
“I’m very happy to be back at Daytona with such a famous brand as Lamborghini,” Konrad Motorsport Team Owner Franz Konrad said. “We do have a strong relation with Lamborghini that started back in 1991. We know Daytona well. We have raced there 16 times including the last three years. We also managed to win our classes and we are confident we can keep up our positive streak. Here in Europe we race in Super Trofeo and we are very happy with the product. The natural choice was to move on to GT3 racing. We will line up a car with the possibility of adding a second one.”
The Huracán GT3 will be eligible for all GT3 racing in North America.
The Lamborghini Huracán GT3 will be introduced in both North America and Asia, after having already proven itself in Europe this season running in the Blancpain Endurance Series with Grasser Racing Team, where it has won the season opener at Monza (Italy) in April.
LAMBORGHINI HURACÁN GT3 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Chassis
Alu-Carbon hybrid chassis
Full integrated, FIA-compliant roll cage
Curb weight: 2,731 pounds
42/58 front-to-rear weight distribution
Powertrain
585-Horsepower V10, direct-injection engine (subject to FIA BOP)
Sequential six-speed gearbox
ECU by Bosch Motorsport
Safety
Carbon frame 8862 specification seat
FT3 Type Fuel Tank
Six-point safety belts by OMP
7-nozzle fire extinguisher system
Aerodynamics
Developed by Dallara within the FIA performance window
Bodywork
Comprised of composite materials (CFK KEVLAR and Glass Fiber)
Quick fixing system of all body panels
Electronics
Engine Control Bosch 6.4 with data logging, traction control, shift control, display control
Dashboard TFT by Bosch
Front and rear lights are LED
Multifunction steering wheel
Suspension
Front and Rear suspension developed by Dallara
Double wishbone suspension
Two-way adjustable dampers
Hydraulic power steering
Racing brake system with balance bar
The braking system is made up by 380 x 34 mm steel discs at the front (six pot), and 355 x 32mm steel discs at the back (four pot)
Adjustable front and rear anti-roll bars
18-inch mono-lock wheel by APP Tech
Price: 369.000 Euro (without taxes)
Sant’Agata Bolognese, 21 January 2015. Automobili Lamborghini has presented the new Lamborghini Huracán GT3, in a world premiere at its headquarters in Sant’Agata Bolognese. The unveiling ceremony was carried out in the presence of media, customers and partners from around the world.
The GT3 competitor makes its debut following that of the new Huracán LP 620-2 Super Trofeo, which will be the protagonist of the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo in Europe, Asia and North America from this year.
Starting in 2015, the Huracán GT3 will line up in the Blancpain Endurance Series that runs over five venues in Europe, among which is included the famous Spa-Francorchamps 24-hours race.
The growth and success of Lamborghini motorsports activities throughout the world has heightened its appeal to partners: the prestigious Indonesian oil and energy petroleum company PERTAMINA will be the official technical partner of Lamborghini Squadra Corse activities in the coming years.
”With the Huracán GT3, Lamborghini Squadra Corse takes a further step forward in the development and production of a race car for this category, which is among the most prestigious and challenging in international motorsport. Lamborghini is thus for the first time directly involved in GT motorsport activities with the in-house development of this new model,” declared Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini. ”We are proud and delighted to announce the new partnership with PERTAMINA, which will further support our motorsport activities.”
“We are proud to be the partner of Automobili Lamborghini as one of the world’s most prestigious super sports car marques. This cooperation confirms PERTAMINA’s position as the technology partner of Lamborghini Squadra Corse, connected to our vision of becoming a World Class Energy Company with the mission to expand our market globally,” said Ahmad Bambang, Marketing Director of PERTAMINA.
The Lamborghini Huracán GT3 is equipped with an Alu-Carbon chassis and a fully integrated FIA-compliant roll-cage. The subframe has been modified both at the front and rear to accommodate a high performance water radiator (front), and for a better positioning of the gearbox (rear), improving aerodynamics. The kerb weight is 1239 Kg with a 42/58 front/rear weight distribution. The final weight will be set by the FIA BOP.
The bodywork is in composite materials and, along with the aerodynamics, has been developed in collaboration with Dallara Engineering with the direct involvement of the founder Gian Paolo Dallara. Aerodynamics have been tuned to grant the best possible air flow penetration, and maximum adherence and traction in any condition on any asphalt. Efficiency has been improved thanks to the rear adjustable wing, adjustable front diffuser and louvres. The new aerodynamics also allow improved cooling of the braking system.
As for the Huracán Super Trofeo, the GT3 is equipped with new bodywork fast- fittings and equipped with a new, enhanced-performing engine and gearbox oil cooler.
Special attention has been given to safety, with the new Lamborghini Huracán GT3 equipped with a carbon frame 8862 specification seat; an OMP fire extinguishing system; and an innovative roof hatch which enables, in case of need, quick assistance by medical personnel through the roof of the car. Seat belts are provided by OMP, the fuel tank is an FT3 type and the pedals are adjustable.
Front and rear lights are LED. The new multifunction steering wheel has been re-engineered along with OMP.
The new rear-wheel drive Huracán GT3 adopts the V10 direct injection engine mounted on the road car, managed by a Bosch Motorsport control unit that also manages traction control, gearbox and the TFT display on the dashboard. All wiring and connectors are designed specifically for racing. The engine is fixed on the chassis by rigid mountings and is coupled with a sequential six-speed gearbox, according to FIA regulations, and a three-disc racing clutch.
The braking system is made up by 380 x 34 mm steel discs at the front (6 pot), and 355 x 32mm steel discs at the back (4 pot), according to FIA regulations, equipped with Bosch ABS. This system features 12 different settings that can be actioned directly from the steering wheel, as can traction control. The tyre sizes are 315/680 at the front and 325/705 at the back. The car is equipped with a pneumatic lifting system.
In Europe, the Huracán GT3 is priced at 369,000 Euro (excluding taxes) ex works.
Lamborghini’s newest raging bull race car has already made its track debut in development tests in recent months, under the supervision of head of motorsport Giorgio Sanna. ”The first GT3 car from Lamborghini will allow talented young drivers the opportunity to contest a Lamborghini in competitions such as the challenging 2015 Blancpain Endurance Series. This season will be an important one for us to gather experience from a category as demanding as GT3, but at the same time we are offering a competitive product to our customers. It will be a busy year, as the Huracán LP 620-2 Super Trofeo will also debut in our Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo series in Europe, USA and Asia.”
Grasser Racing Team will line up two new Huracán GT3s in the 2015 Blancpain Endurance Series. The Austrian team – 2013 Blancpain Sprint Series Pro-Am Champion and third in the 2014 Pro Class – will field the two official test drivers of Lamborghini Squadra Corse: Fabio Babini (ITA) and Adrian Zaugg (RSA) now promoted to factory drivers, and the Italian Mirko Bortolotti who impressed in the 2014 Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo Europe.
Working alongside them will be three young talents from Lamborghini’s Young Drivers Program: Giovanni Venturini (ITA), Jeroen Mul (NED) and Andrew Palmer (USA). All three have been promoted to the Lamborghini Squadra Corse GT3 Junior Team. This new program features a step up from the Young Drivers Program, with the aim of selecting the best talents to be involved in testing sessions and GT3 racing.
The Italian Edoardo Piscopo and the Serbian Milos Pavlovic have also been promoted to official test drivers for Lamborghini Squadra Corse. Winners of both the 2014 PRO Class in the European Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo and the World Final, they will be in charge of the GT3 car’s development across the world.
THE 2015 BLANCPAIN ENDURANCE SERIES CALENDAR
11-12 April Monza, ITA
23-24 May Silverstone, GBR
19-20 June Paul Ricard, FRA
23-26 July Spa-Francorchamps (24 Ore), BEL
19-20 September Nürburgring, GER