Lamborghini keeps its promises and by 2024 it will be in action in the most important endurance championships with its hybrid LMDh.
The Sant’Agata Bolognese company, like the Porsche ‘cousin’ of the Volkswagen group, embraces the concept of prototypes that was launched in 2020 with the intention of uniting the protagonists of the IMSA and FIA series in a single Class together with the Hypercars. .
The anticipation of this choice was given in April 2021 to Motorsport.com by the Head of Lamborghini Squadra Corse, Giorgio Sanna, who had emphasized how the LMDh concept was more suited to the philosophy of the Toro, linked above all to the customer teams to whom to support. official, rather than engaging in the very first person with his team.
Giorgio Sanna, Director of Lamborghini Squadra Corse
Photo by: Lamborghini Super Trofeo
After further confirmations of intentions also admitted by the President, Stephan Winkelmann, and the appointment of Maurizio Reggiani as Vice President of motorsport, here is the official announcement of the new adventure undertaken by the Emilian brand for the FIA World Endurance Championship and IMSA SportsCar Championship.
This should have come at the beginning of the year, but with the reversals that led to the freezing of the Audi LMDh program in the VAG Group, clearly we had to wait longer than expected, until we had the long-awaited white smoke in recent days when the parent company given the ok to proceed.
As we said, Lamborghini’s LMDh will be hybrid, in line with the choices that the Emilian company will make by 2024 for its road products. This will see it compete in the LMH and GTP Classes of WEC and IMSA respectively, also having reference customer teams of Lamborghini Squadra Corse to cross arms against rival manufacturers such as Porsche, Acura, Cadillac, Alpine and BMW, in addition to Toyota’s LMH. , Glickenhaus, plus Vanwall-ByKolles, Peugeot and Ferrari when all these are ready.
Frederic Lequien, WEC CEO, Pierre Fillon, ACO President, Stephan Winkelmann, Lamborghini, Jim France, ISC, Richard Mille, John Doonan, IMSA, Ed Bennett, IMSA
Photo by: Lamborghini SpA
“This step marks an important milestone for our company – commented Winkelmann – We will compete with the best on the most demanding test bench”.
“This project will give our motorsport program even greater visibility and at the same time allow us to test the technologies of the future. Our LMDh prototype will become a sophisticated laboratory on four wheels.”
Giorgio Sanna, Lamborghini’s Head of Motorsport, adds: “I am thrilled that the company has supported this new step in our motorsport path, entering the highest level of covered wheel competitions”.
“The LMDh project will play a fundamental role in our strategy, giving us the opportunity to expand our Corse Clienti philosophy to new platforms, while also strengthening our relationships with teams and drivers”.
Great satisfaction also from the top of the series in which Lamborghini will be involved, starting with Pierre Fillon, President of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest: “The entry into the LMDh category of a prestigious brand like Lamborghini is splendid news for the world of endurance races “.
“The Hypercar class is attracting manufacturers from all over the world; we are about to celebrate the centenary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the beginning of a new golden age of endurance. And I for one am ready to enjoy it to the fullest.”
Photo by: Alex Galli
Frédéric Lequien, CEO of the FIA WEC also agrees: “The announcement of Lamborghini’s debut in the Hypercar class of the FIA WEC honors us. Lamborghini is an iconic brand, however it hasn’t competed in the top endurance category yet. “
“The debut will take place in a unique moment in the history of the FIA WEC and 2024 will see an exceptional number of brands racing in the first category: the competition will be fierce but I am sure that Lamborghini will be able to assert itself”.
John Doonan, IMSA President, echoes him: “IMSA boasts a ten-year partnership with Lamborghini, dating back to the birth of the North American Super Trofeo. We are therefore proud that Lamborghini confirms its debut in the IMSA GTP class from 2024 “.
“Having a brand of this caliber in the GTP class helps to strengthen the entire LMDh platform that we have developed together with our ACO partners and we can’t wait to see the new Lamborghini prototypes on the track.”
Naturally, the operations on the projects concerning the Huracán GT3 and Super Trofeo will also continue, the evolutions of which have arrived just this year.
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