
Lamborghini will not remember its participation in the 2025 24 Hours of Daytona fondly. The SC63 managed only 34 laps before being forced to retire due to a cooling system failure. The Huracáns competing in the GTD Pro and GTD categories also saw their hopes for victory slip away, transitioning from top contenders to disappointing retirements. Particularly disheartening was the fate of the Huracán #9 from the Pfaff team, which seemed poised to secure a win in the Pro class, but a mistake by Pepper, triggered by a collision with Deletraz’s Cadillac, dashed their hopes.
The return of Lamborghini's LMDh to the track proved more challenging than expected. Events at the end of 2024 didn’t help, and as demonstrated by BMW and Porsche, it’s clear these prototypes require time and data to fully unlock their potential. Lamborghini, however, faced additional hurdles, such as the decision to field just one LMDh in the WEC and select IMSA races, along with the premature separation from Iron Lynx.
In just a few months, Sant’Agata Bolognese essentially built a racing department from scratch to keep the project alive. It’s no surprise that the IMSA entry wasn’t initially planned, nor was the partnership with Riley Motorsport. Given these circumstances, expectations for the SC63 were already modest, but the outcome was still disappointing.
While it’s understandable for a young team to encounter reliability issues, the real concern was the car’s performance on the track. Aside from a decent lap time in the first practice session, the rest of the weekend was marked by evident difficulties. A notable incident occurred during qualifying, when a "misunderstanding" with the Acura ARX-06 highlighted the performance gap. Bortolotti, on his third flying lap alongside Blomqvist, presumably had tires at optimal temperature, yet the Acura gained a full second just in the first sector. The SC63’s struggles were evident in braking, corner entry, and acceleration. Only on the banking, at top speed, did Bortolotti manage to keep pace.
Even at the start of the race, with a full fuel load and a moderate pace, the SC63 showed signs of difficulty, although it’s unclear when technical issues began. What’s certain is that Lamborghini needs to step up its game. The chance to privately test the SC63, free from immediate competitive pressures, is a valuable opportunity to experiment with new solutions. However, a development program cannot be limited to merely securing respectable finishes.
The decision to collaborate with Ligier instead of Dallara—located just a few kilometers from Sant’Agata Bolognese—has always raised doubts. Nonetheless, it’s now essential to maximize the potential of available resources, improve internal team procedures, and optimize performance. The drivers are highly skilled, enthusiasm is evident, but a concrete result is needed to fuel motivation and strengthen the project.
© Simone Marchetti