LAT Images
/ Director of Racing at Lamborghini Iron Lynx, Emmanuel Esnault, expressed gratitude for his team’s seventh place finish in their debut in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar GTP Championship at the 12 Hours of Sebring.
The #63 Lamborghini Iron Lynx SC63 car, driven by Matteo Cairoli, Andrea Caldarelli, and Romain Grosjean, crossed the finish line ahead of two other GTP class competitors.
After their nearly 10-hour race in Qatar for the FIA World Endurance Championship two weeks prior, this was the SC63’s second appearance, this time at the prestigious endurance race at Sebring International Raceway.
“We can be proud of what we achieved at Sebring,” said Esnault.
“We successfully completed one of the most challenging races in the world and overcame all obstacles that came our way.
“Our drivers and team members worked tirelessly, constantly adapting and keeping the bigger picture in mind.”
“There is still a lot of work to be done, but we believe we made significant progress at Sebring that will benefit us throughout the rest of our journey in 2024.
“Taking part in our first IMSA race was a big challenge, considering this project is still in its early stages, but both here and in Qatar, we showed that as a team, we can make a difference.
“Now, our focus turns to our home race [WEC] in Imola, but we leave the US feeling highly motivated and looking forward to our return to the track.”
During qualifying, Cairoli clocked a lap time of 1:53.574, placing them at the back of the GTP field.
However, their main goal was to reach the checkered flag in the second longest event on the IMSA calendar.
Grosjean and Caldarelli took over driving duties after the first double stint by Cairoli, and they continued to chase the GTP class and lead the LMP2.
Despite numerous incidents leading to 12 caution periods during the race, the Lamborghini only had one issue with the driver’s door not closing while Grosjean was behind the wheel.
Most importantly, they did not have any major reliability issues throughout the 12 hours, despite the demanding track surface at Sebring, which put significant stress on the powertrain and electronics.
Although they were unable to show competitive pace, they successfully defended their seventh place position against two other Hypercars during the final sprint to the finish line under green flag conditions.
© 2024
