Lamborghini’s new Temerario GT3 endured a nightmare begin to life in final weekend’s DTM season-opener on the Pink Bull Ring.
Its ends in the Austrian double header raised severe issues concerning the automobile’s competitiveness and the construction behind the programme. The dimensions of the issue is such that accountability throughout the organisation seems unclear, an element extensively seen as contributing to the present state of affairs on the Italian marque, which is a part of the Audi Group.
The Temerario GT3 is a automobile that’s, by all accounts, so problematic that it has already earned itself the “Lamaghini Dromedario” moniker within the paddock.
Only a 12 months in the past, Lamborghini was preventing for the DTM title with the Huracan GT3 till the finale. Now, Grasser Racing Staff and Abt Sportsline discovered themselves successfully working their very own race in the back of the sector on the brand new automobile’s debut.
Even high driver Mirko Bortolotti, who completed sixteenth on Sunday as the perfect Lamborghini, was 36.082 seconds adrift after 37 laps – roughly one second per lap regardless of the Steadiness of Efficiency (BoP), which is meant to equalise the automobiles. Even Nicolas Baert in an Aston Martin – hardly thought of a top-tier GT3 driver – was round 0.6 seconds per lap quicker.
Bortolotti stated “the hole is gigantic” and it might have been rather a lot worse. Spielberg, with its lengthy straights, is definitely a circuit that masks a few of the Temerario’s most obvious weaknesses. Excessive monitor temperatures of almost 40C and the brand new DTM tyre, which comes as much as temperature extra rapidly, additionally helped.
Had the season began, as in earlier years, on the twisty Oschersleben circuit with its 14 corners, the debut would probably have been much more embarrassing. The automobile has main points beneath braking and resists delivering, largely as a result of it generates too little mechanical grip via the suspension.
Techniques reminiscent of ABS and traction management are usually not but correctly refined, and the automobile was delivered to groups late in its growth cycle with no purposeful base set-up.
Why Lamborghini ought to think about withdrawing the automobile
Jordan Pepper, Grasser Racing Staff Lamborghini Huracán EVO GT3
Photograph by: Markus Toppmöller
The worrying half is that this might flip right into a endless drawback. Fixing the problems through the season is sort of not possible as a consequence of strict testing restrictions within the collection. On high of that, FIA homologation freezes growth.
Lamborghini could be effectively suggested to withdraw the Temerario retrospectively and run the Huracan once more in 2026, whereas fixing the brand new automobile within the background. That will be a short-term lack of face, however it could at the least take away the issue early as a substitute of turning it right into a long-term embarrassment.
These acquainted with the programme say clearly that solely an Evo model might realistically save the venture. Nonetheless, such an replace shouldn’t be potential within the brief time period, as FIA guidelines typically solely permit it after two years – which means 2028 – except it issues security.
An answer by way of BoP can be unrealistic. The automobile is already near the minimal weight restrict, and trip peak has been decreased virtually as a lot as potential. Extra turbo increase could be technically potential, however the ensuing enhance in high pace would power drivers to brake even earlier, providing little actual acquire. The BoP adjustment from Saturday to Sunday in Spielberg underlined this – extra of a sign than an actual repair.
Why nothing has modified since November
There may be additionally a way that these accountable at Lamborghini don’t absolutely know deal with the state of affairs. “They don’t have the folks or the experience for it,” stated one insider.
That will clarify why, regardless of clear warning indicators half a 12 months in the past, little has modified. “The automobile is nowhere close to the place I would love it to be, however we already knew that in November,” Bortolotti stated on Saturday. Manufacturing unit drivers first examined the Temerario GT3 in October 2025 at Circuit Paul Ricard and reportedly raised issues instantly.
The identical issues had been evident once more throughout DTM testing in Vallelunga in March, but no decisive motion was taken.
Danger of wider penalties
How did it come to this? Lamborghini’s comparatively small motorsport division in Sant’Agata Bolognese has been hit by quite a few personnel adjustments through the Temerario’s growth, following the departure of former motorsport boss Giorgio Sanna two years in the past after an inside investigation.
Chief technical officer Rouven Mohr has since moved right into a broader position at Audi, leaving a management hole. New motorsport head Andrea Reggiani solely took up his place at first of April and continues to be making an attempt to evaluate the dimensions of the issue.
Extra is at stake than Lamborghini’s picture – and the truth that the model now desires to promote its troubled GT3 automobile to gents drivers and buyer groups. The way forward for DTM outfits like Grasser and Abt can be on the road, as they rely on sponsors who anticipate outcomes.
And finally, the DTM itself might be affected. Alongside Mercedes-AMG, Lamborghini is the one producer fielding two groups and 4 automobiles. Dropping them would scale back the grid to simply 17 automobiles – a worrying situation for a top-level GT3 championship.
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