Mirko Bortolotti is returning to Grasser after only one yr at Abt. The 2024 DTM champion had been delegated by Lamborghini to the Kempten-based squad final yr after Abt left Audi to marketing campaign the Huracan GT3, however the season was a catastrophe. Bortolotti — thought of the quickest driver in Lamborghini’s line-up — completed no increased than sixth and ended up 14th within the total standings, whereas Abt endured the worst DTM season in its historical past.
Now, Bortolotti returns to the Grasser staff, which was clearly Lamborghini’s primary outfit within the DTM final yr and fought for the title with Jordan Pepper till the ultimate spherical. The Italian model has now defined why the the 36-year-old Italian is returning to the staff run by his long-time affiliate Gottfried Grasser.
“The choice to allocate Lamborghini manufacturing unit driver Mirko Bortolotti to Grasser Racing derives from a shared dedication with the driving force to work with the identical staff in each the GT World Problem and the DTM championships,” a Lamborghini spokesperson informed Motorsport.com’s sister title Motorsport-Whole.com.
Lamborghini cites “continuity” at Grasser
“This strategic alignment ensures continuity, and the strongest attainable collaboration throughout each racing programmes,” the producer from Sant’Agata Bolognese added.
The truth is, Bortolotti will compete not solely within the DTM with Grasser but additionally within the endurance leg of the GT World Problem Europe (GTWCE). He’ll share the automobile along with his new DTM team-mate Maximilian Paul and fellow manufacturing unit driver Franck Perera.
Curiously, Bortolotti additionally contested the 5 GTWCE endurance races with Grasser final yr, whereas driving for Abt within the DTM. On the time, nevertheless, Grasser was not solely energetic within the Endurance Cup — the place Bortolotti served because the third driver — but additionally within the dash sequence. His Grasser team-mates from the DTM, Pepper and Luca Engstler, competed in each GTWCE championships for the staff.
Mirko Bortolotti, Group Abt Sportsline Lamborghini Huracán EVO GT3
Picture by: Alexander Trienitz
Bortolotti an incentive to maintain Grasser with Lamborghini?
There could also be extra behind Bortolotti’s return than simply sporting concerns. After the 2025 DTM season finale, hypothesis emerged that Grasser might depart Lamborghini. Group boss Gottfried Grasser didn’t explicitly deny the rumours when requested by Motorsport-Whole.com, and stated solely the next relating to the staff’s potential DTM programme in 2026: “It positively must be a bundle of drivers and automobile that is smart and permits us to have fun success.”
With Pepper’s transfer to BMW, the staff misplaced its breakout star of the season, whereas Bortolotti was nonetheless racing for Abt on the time. This raised the opportunity of a hyperlink between the rumours a few potential producer change and Bortolotti’s return to the staff.
There was additionally hypothesis that Lamborghini may need tried to maintain the Austrian staff on board for 2026 by promising Bortolotti for the DTM mission.
“There isn’t a connection between this resolution and the rumors suggesting that Grasser Racing might change producer for the 2026 season,” a Lamborghini spokesperson stated.
New contract on a “multi-year foundation”
“The settlement with the staff was initially set to run out on the finish of 2025 and has now been renewed on a multi-year foundation, reflecting the staff’s robust perception within the Temerario GT3 mission and the long-term partnership with Lamborghini,” the spokesperson added, offering an attention-grabbing further element.
Accordingly, Grasser’s contract with Lamborghini has not solely been prolonged by a single yr however by a number of years, successfully ruling out a producer change even after the primary season with the brand new Temerario GT3.
Grasser was not out there for touch upon the matter, however the return of Bortolotti — who has been concerned in 19 of the staff’s 27 victories — actually didn’t harm when it got here to extending the contract with Lamborghini.
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