Lamborghini is dealing with main issues forward of the DTM season opener in Spielberg, with its new Temerario GT3 but to seek out its footing in aggressive situations.
The automobile, which replaces the profitable Huracan GT3 Evo2 for 2026, has endured a tough begin to life.
“Time will inform what’s potential with the automobile, but when I have a look at the primary few months, together with the [GT World Challenge] race just a few days in the past in France, I don’t assume we’ll be within the combine on the entrance,” manufacturing unit driver Mirko Bortolotti admitted.
“I believe that will likely be tough, particularly at the beginning of the season,” added the 2024 DTM champion, who has returned to Grasser Racing after a difficult marketing campaign with Abt final 12 months.
Testing alternatives within the DTM are closely restricted, inserting added strain on improvement.
“Meaning we actually have to make use of each lap and ensure we study as a lot as potential and develop the automobile as rapidly as we will, as a result of there’s nonetheless a number of work forward of us,” stated the 36-year-old Italian.
Brake and turn-in points hamper early progress
The brand new Temerario GT3, unveiled in summer season 2025, marks a major shift for Lamborghini. It’s the first race automobile from Sant’Agata Bolognese developed fully in-house, with out the collaboration of Audi that underpinned the Huracan programme.
The automobile made its racing debut solely in March on the Sebring 12 Hours and represents a whole departure in idea, that includes a twin-turbo V8 engine somewhat than the Huracan’s naturally-aspirated V10.
“The automobile is totally new and feels completely completely different,” stated Bortolotti. “There may be completely nothing that jogs my memory of the Huracan. That makes it a giant adjustment for each the staff and us drivers.”
Grasser Racing acquired its automobiles solely on the finish of the primary week of March 2026, whereas the Abt squad needed to wait even longer. The automobile additionally seems to have been delivered and not using a fully-refined base set-up, with groups reporting points below braking and a scarcity of responsiveness on turn-in.
There are ongoing doubts throughout the paddock as as to whether the Temerario can at present be introduced as much as the extent of its rivals by Stability of Efficiency changes alone.
Luca Engstler, Crimson Bull Crew Abt Lamborghini Temerario GT3
Picture by: ADAC Motorsport
Reliability the one clear constructive to date
One space the place the automobile has delivered is reliability. At each Sebring and the GT World Problem Europe opener in Le Castellet, the Temerario accomplished the complete race distances of 12 and 6 hours respectively.
“Probably the most constructive facet is reliability,” stated staff boss Gottfried Grasser. “The automobile has no issues. At the least that permits you to do a number of working and a number of testing.”
That was additionally evident in the course of the official DTM check day in Spielberg, the place the 4 Temerario drivers accomplished a mixed 497 laps. Nonetheless, the tempo deficit remained vital: Abt rookie Luca Engstler was the quickest Lamborghini driver, however nonetheless 0.990 seconds off benchmark setter Ben Dorr within the McLaren.
“We’ve not less than caught as much as the backmarkers, however there may be nonetheless loads to do and to study,” Grasser admitted. He didn’t deny the problems below braking and on nook entry, including: “It’s all associated to setup and suspension. We’re nonetheless looking for the correct route.”
Tyre struggles uncovered in race situations
These weaknesses had been additionally evident on the Paul Ricard spherical of GTWCE, the place Grasser’s staff performed no vital function within the race.
“It was tougher than we anticipated,” Grasser stated. “We discovered a strong stability within the set-up, however we nonetheless couldn’t get the tyres into the working window. That created a substantial hole that couldn’t be compensated for technically.”
Regardless of a deficit of multiple second in Spielberg, Grasser famous “very constructive steps” in testing. This will even be linked to the brand new unique DTM tyre, which seems to succeed in working temperature extra rapidly than the Pirelli DHG utilized in GT World Problem Europe.
Efficiency strain forward of DTM opener
With the DTM that includes dash races of round one hour, reliability alone is not going to be sufficient to ship outcomes.
“In DTM, it’s all about efficiency – and should you don’t have the efficiency, you received’t achieve success,” Bortolotti stated.
“That’s why I believe we have now a number of work forward of us, however I’m additionally completely satisfied to tackle this problem, along with the staff and the model, identical to we did 12 years in the past with the Huracan.
“It’s a course of we now need to undergo, and I hope we will rise up to tempo as rapidly as potential.”
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