Lamborghini Iron Lynx returns to action in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship this weekend, preparing for the penultimate round of the Michelin Endurance Cup (MEC) at the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway. With the ‘Battle on the Bricks’ set to unfold, factory drivers Romain Grosjean, Matteo Cairoli, and Andrea Caldarelli are set to rejoin forces in the #63 Lamborghini SC63.
This marks the trio’s first reunion since their participation at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, where they secured a respectable 13th-place finish. After the previous round at Watkins Glen, which saw a two-driver lineup, Grosjean will complete the team as they aim to deliver a strong performance.
Lamborghini Building on Progress Despite Challenges
Earlier this season, the Lamborghini SC63 demonstrated its capabilities at the Sahlen’s 6 Hours of the Glen, with Caldarelli and Cairoli at the wheel. Although their race ended prematurely due to cooling issues, the car achieved its best qualifying result of the year and ran within the top five. The team is optimistic about continuing their upward trajectory in Indianapolis, particularly after the strong strategic moves made under changing weather conditions at Watkins Glen.
Unchanged Line-ups for Iron Dames and GT Daytona
The Iron Dames’ lineup remains consistent, with Sarah Bovy, Rahel Frey, and Michelle Gatting. All piloting the #83 Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2. Following their recent podium in Virginia International Raceway’s Sprint race, the team is eager to maintain their momentum.
In the GT Daytona category, Loris Spinelli and Misha Goikhberg will be joined by Devlin DeFrancesco in the #78 Forte Racing Huracán. Meanwhile, Graham Doyle will return to the #45 Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti entry, alongside regular drivers Kyle Marcelli and Danny Formal.
Fresh Faces for Iron Lynx in the GT World Challenge
This weekend’s race also sees a reshuffled lineup in the #19 Iron Lynx Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2, as Maximilian Paul and Luca Engstler step in due to a scheduling conflict with the Fanatec GT World Challenge Endurance Cup at Monza. Engstler, making his IMSA debut, joins Paul, both representing Lamborghini Squadra Corse’s rising talent pool.
Q&A: Romain Grosjean Reflects on Returning to the Lamborghini SC63
Grosjean is excited to return to the SC63 after missing the Watkins Glen round. Speaking to Lamborghini about his anticipation, he stated, “I’m very excited to be back in the car this weekend. I kept an eye on Watkins and the recent WEC round at COTA, but I was able to get a bit of a refresher in the SC63 with the tyre test at COTA. But I’m very keen to get back, IMSA is a great championship with really high competition, and I know the track very well.”
He acknowledged the unique challenges of the Indy road course, particularly its flat layout and slow-speed corners. “It’s a very flat track, and it has a lot of big braking zones into slow-speed corners, so this is quite a big challenge. And then the 7, 8, 9 sequence of corners is quite tricky, so you need to use a lot of kerbs. I think the flat nature of the track should help us a bit compared to the bumpy tracks we’ve been at before at Sebring.”
Reflecting on the first season with the SC63, Grosjean noted the car’s reliability: “The reliability has been one of the biggest strengths of the car, which is great. I think we have a very good baseline to develop for the future; of course, there are a few things which all of us drivers and engineers want to see on the car going forward, but overall, I would say that it has been a very positive team with the entire Lamborghini Squadra Corse team.”
Race Schedule
Sunday, September 22, 2024
Race Time: 11:40 AM – 5:40 PM EDT
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