40 Huracán GT3s, 20 customer teams, 13 championship worldwideFour European series ready to start in April, in addition to the Japanese Super GTSeven Lamborghinis at the Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup in Misano World Circuit on April 9/10The debut outing of the Lamborghini Huracán GT3 took place in April 2015 with two cars fielded by Grasser Racing Team, which quickly hit victory in the Blancpain GT Endurance Series Cup at Monza.
Today, a year later, the Huracán GT3 is ready for a global challenge: it has been chosen by more than 20 customer teams, with 40 cars competing over 78 race weekends in 13 of the most prestigious GT championships worldwide: from IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in the United States to Asian Championships such as SuperGT, Asian Le Mans Series and GT Asia, through Europe's major series such as Blancpain GT, ADAC GT Masters, British GT Championship, Campionato Italiano GT, International GT Open, International Endurance Series and Michelin GT3 Cup.
After making its 2016 debut in the US WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the Huracán GT3 is now ready to hit the track in the main European GT championships.
The season starts on the weekend of April 9/10 with the Blancpain GT Sprint Cup Series at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, where there will be forty cars on the grid including seven Huracán GT3s. The Grasser Racing Team will field three cars with the following driver line-up: the new members of the Lamborghini GT3 Junior Program Luca Stolz and Michele Beretta in car number 19, while behind the wheel of the # 63 will be the GT3 factory driver Mirko Bortolotti and the GT3 Junior Driver Nicolas Pohler. The number 16 will be driven by Jeroen Bleekemolen and Stefan Rosina.
Three other Lamborghini Huracán GT3s will race with German team Attempto Racing, also fielding drivers from the Lamborghini Squadra Corse GT3 Junior Program: Jeroen Mul and Max Van Splunteren will share the cockpit of the car # 100, with Daniel Zampieri and Patric Niederhauser in # 101. The third Attempto Racing Huracán GT3, number 77, will run with the former GP2 world champion Davide Valsecchi and Jack Falla on board.
The Misano grid includes the X-Bionic Racing Team, with a Huracán for Cèdric Leimer, 2012 champion of the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo Europe, and Laurent Jenny.
On April 9/10, the Huracán GT3 will also debut in the Japanese Super GT series, which opens the season from Okayama. JLOC and Lamborghini Team Direction (the latter with the GT3 Factory Driver Adrian Zaugg on board) will compete in the GT300 class.
In mid-April, over the weekend of 16/17, it will be the turn of German championship ADAC GT Masters (first round in Oschersleben) and the British GT Championship, which starts at Brands Hatch. The two championships will see ten Lamborghini Huracán GT3 protagonists, eight of them in the German series fielded by the following team: Attempto Racing, Bonaldi Motorsport, Grasser Racing Team and HB Racing. In the British GT, Barwell Motorsport will race with two cars.
The following week, on April 23 and 24, two other major European series will start: the International GT Open, with the Estoril circuit hosting the first round, and the Blancpain GT Endurance Cup Series in Monza, coinciding with the first round of the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo Europe.
In the International GT Open a Lamborghini Huracán GT3 will be fielded by Orange1 Team Lazarus (with former FIA GT champion Thomas Biagi behind the wheel), while in the Blancpain Endurance series the Huracáns will be deployed by eight customer teams: Attempto Racing, Barwell Motorsport, Grasser Racing Team, Konrad Motorsport, Ombra Racing and ARC Bratislava.
The month of May will be full of competitive commitments. Over the weekend of April 30/May 1, the first round of the Italian GT Championship will be held in Monza, with four Huracán GT3s on grid from Antonelli Motorsport, Imperiale Racing and Ombra Racing. From Autodromo di Imola, on May 14/15, will start the Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup, with a Huracán GT3 fielded by FFF Racing.
Then sees the start of the GT Asia Series and the Asian Le Mans Series. In the first, FFF Racing will field a Huracán GT3 for the duo of GT3 Junior Program drivers Andrea Amici and Edoardo Liberati. In the Asian Le Mans Series the VSR team of Vincenzo Sospiri gets on track with a Huracán GT3.
Lamborghini Squadra Corse, in accordance with its philosophy, provides technical support on track to a select group of teams, sending its expert technicians and engineers to support the Huracán GT3s in both sprint races, but especially in the endurance races, with particular attention to the 24 Hours of Spa Francorchamps (28/31 July), the 12 Hours of Sepang (9/11 December) and the two remaining American endurance races: the 6 hours of Watkins Glen (July 2/3) and the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta (October 1/2). It is not expected support for the Nürburgring 24 Hours at the end of May.
“The number of Huracán GT3s sold to date in the world,” commented Giorgio Sanna, Head of Lamborghini Motorsport, “demonstrates the validity of our product, which combines the needs of gentlemen drivers and professionals, consolidating the relationship between Lamborghini Squadra Corse and the customer teams that choose us. We are also pleased that several teams from the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo have decided to move on to the GT3 program, marrying our strategy regarding customer racing. We expect a very tough season and we are ready to give technical and logistical support including a spare parts service for all the championships in which we are involved, relying also on partners in US and ASIA consolidated through the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo. Last but not least, we are proud to have been able to give valuable career opportunities to our young drivers coming through our programs, thanks to the commercial success of the Huracán GT3.”
The Lamborghini Huracán GT3 in detail
The Lamborghini Huracán GT3 is the first race car developed exclusively at Sant’Agata Bolognese. Its design is based on a hybrid body shell mainly formed of aluminum and reinforced with carbon fiber components in the areas of greatest torsional stress. The body shell is equipped with a roll cage that meets FIA regulations and extends to the rear end, thus enhancing torsional stiffness. The front of the chassis has been specially modified to host a high-efficiency, centrally placed radiator for engine cooling. At the rear, modifications have been made to position the gearbox in the best possible location and significantly improve aerodynamics at the same time.
The body is crafted in composite materials (CFK, Kevlar, fiberglass), and the aerodynamics were developed together with Dallara Engineering, featuring the direct support of Gian Paolo Dallara, the company's founder. As in the Huracán Super Trofeo, the body has a quick-connect fastening system for the body panels and high-performance radiators for engine coolant, and engine and gearbox oil.
The aerodynamics of the car have been optimized to improve air stream penetration and to maximize grip and traction in any conditions, on any type of track. Extensive development ensures extremely efficient aerodynamics, thanks in part to an adjustable rear wing, front and rear diffusers and front air intakes, which can be regulated to obtain the best set-up on any track, whatever its condition.
Special attention has naturally been paid to safety. The seat in the Lamborghini Huracán GT3 is formed from a carbon fiber shell meeting FIA specification 8862 and an OMP fire extinguishing system with seven nozzles. An additional safety feature is the roof hatch system, a device that enables rescuers to provide first aid to the driver in case of accident, through a carbon fiber panel that is easily accessed on the roof. Also provided are OMP safety belts, a fuel tank meeting FT3 specifications, and adjustable pedals.
The front and rear LEDs lighting systems are the same of the Huracán road version. What's more, a special kit has been developed for endurance racing that features three supplementary lighting systems - one horizontally shaped unit at the center of the car's nose, and two placed near the bottom of the bumpers.
The Huracán GT3 is powered by a naturally aspirated 90° V10 engine with a displacement of 5.2 liters and direct injection. The engine is derived from the street version of the Huracán. Electronic control is provided by a Bosch Motorsport control unit that is also responsible for data collection, traction and gearbox management, and control of the multipurpose TFT display on the instrument panel. All the electrical wiring is specifically designed for racing use, to ensure faster and easier service by technicians. Maximum power and torque can be varied to suit the type of intake restrictor that every GT championship applies to engines according to the Balance of Performance, a tool for equalizing the performance of GT cars. Also modified is the weight of the vehicle, which in the Huracán GT3's case is 1,230 Kg (dry weight).
With rear-wheel drive, the Huracán GT3 is equipped with a Hör 6-speed sequential gearbox with three-disc racing clutch controlled by two paddles behind the steering wheel.
The brake system includes Brembo Racing discs. The front units are 380 mm in diameter and have 6-piston calipers, with 355 mm discs and 4-piston calipers at the rear. The brakes are also equipped with a supplementary cooling system for the discs and calipers. The Bosch Motorsport ABS system boasts ten positions that can be selected by the driver using a button on the steering wheel, and the same is true for the traction control adjustment, which can also be set over ten parameters to trigger the system according to road grip and degree of tire wear.
The price of the Huracán GT3 is 369,000 Euros, excluding taxes and delivery.
