Meet the Legends: Lamborghini
For episode six of the FIA World Endurance Championship’s ‘Meet the Legends’ docuseries, we are heading back to Italy, as we explore the ethos and origins of a company that came to motorsport comparatively late – Lamborghini.
Founded in 1963 by visionary manufacturing magnate Ferruccio Lamborghini to compete with fellow Emilia Romagna brand Ferrari, the eponymously-named firm toyed with the idea of contesting the 24 Hours of Le Mans barely a handful of years later, with plans to field a pair of Miura prototypes at La Sarthe to take on the likes of Ford, Porsche and arch-rival Ferrari.
For various reasons, that ambitious project never came to pass, and with the charismatic Lamborghini believing he had no need to prove anything on the racetrack, it was not until earlier this year that the Sant’Agata Bolognese-based manufacturer belatedly made its debut in the race’s top-tier, as its Iron Lynx-run SC63 Hypercar recorded an impressive top ten finish.
Much like that partnership – and in contrast to the other brands featured in this series – Lamborghini’s international motorsport activities over the years have revolved predominantly around customer programmes, as well as successful one-make championships. Launched in 2009, the Super Trofeo has gone on to establish a strong foothold in Europe, Asia and the Americas using racing versions of the popular Gallardo and Huracán models.
The unconventional path that Lamborghini has plotted forms the subject of ‘A Unique Racing Story’, which includes interviews with the company’s Chairman and CEO Stephan Winkelmann and Chief Technical Officer, Rouven Mohr, as well as factory driver Edoardo Mortara and FIA WEC specialist, Sam Smith.
Just as it leverages the race-to-road technology transfer made possible by competition, in the same vein, Lamborghini’s design DNA and unmistakeable styling cues are evident in all of its race cars.
The instantly recognisable Huracán LMGT3 Evo 2 achieved a brace of pole positions and a podium finish in FIA WEC’s nascent LMGT3 category this year with Iron Lynx and the Iron Dames, while the simultaneous Hypercar commitment marked Lamborghini’s biggest engagement in the sport to-date – a clear indication that this bullish brand with a penchant for doing things differently remains ever-open to innovative ideas and new opportunities...
You can watch the episode here.
