Unlike many other major car manufacturers worldwide, Lamborghini is one of the few that does not have an F1 team. While the car company was once involved in the sport, it hasn’t been in many years. One of the main reasons behind the choice has to do with the manufacturer’s philosophy on their involvement in motorsport. Lamborghini’s CEO shared that they would only be looking to participate in racing that has to do with road cars.
A brief history of Lamborghini in F1
During the early 1990’s Lamborghini acted as an engine manufacturer for F1 teams like Larrousse, Lotus, Modena, and Minardi. By supplying these teams with V12 engines, they scored multiple points finishes, and the Italian car manufacturer had a stake in the sport. They also teamed up with McLaren in the late 1990s. The Lamborghini-powered McLarens scored three wins in the 1997 season whilst also earning seven podiums.
But, 20+ years later, there is no trace of them on the field. Lamborghini boss, Stephan Winkelmann, shared in 2022 that the company’s goal is to be involved in motorsports that have to do with street-legal vehicles.
“We think Formula One is something which is not part of our idea for the future because when we speak about motorsport, it always has to have a relationship to the street-legal cars,” [via TopGear]
Lamborghini is part of the Volkswagen group of companies, which consists of car manufacturers like Porsche, Audi, and Bentley. Audi is going to make its Formula 1 appearance next year. The German car company will be taking Sauber’s spot on the grid. They will manufacture the car and its engine.
Which kinds of motorsport is Lamborghini involved in?
Although the Italian car manufacturer doesn’t take part in F1, they are involved in other motorsports. Lamborghini is involved in the world of endurance racing, and GT racing and also has its own championship.
Their Squadra Corse division, which is the company’s motorsports department, has been behind the creation of the SC63. The car is a Le Mans Daytona h (LMDh) class hybrid prototype, which the company races within the FIA World Endurance Championship in the Hypercar class, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the GTP class of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Endurance Cup.
“Endurance racing and the LMDh has a lot to do with how we can transfer the technology into the street-legal cars, and Formula One is not,” Winkelmann said in 2022. [via TopGear]
The organization is also behind the Super Trofeo competition. It is a one-make championship that only has the involvement of Huracán Super Trofeo Evo model vehicles. The championship has three series, taking place in Europe, Asia, and America. Each series has six rounds, with two races lasting 50 minutes, following free practice and qualifying. The seasons end with the World Final, an event that ends with the best Lamborghini drivers being crowned.
