Former Formula 1 driver and present Lamborghini manufacturing facility racer Romain Grosjean is taking up a brand new problem this season: He’s one in all a handful of drivers who shall be placing the Lamborghini SC63 race automobile via its paces at endurance occasions within the IMSA and World Endurance Championship collection. Let’s let him take us on a tour of the brand new machine, courtesy of Marshall Pruett and IMSA.
Before we dive in, let’s cowl a number of bases. The Lambo SC63 is a GTP automobile, which is the identify for the present high class of sports activities automobile prototypes. IMSA and WEC designed their laws collectively, which suggests the SC63 can compete in two completely different collection. The automobile made its debut at WEC’s season opener in Qatar, the place it completed 14th total with drivers Mirko Bortolotti, Edoardo Mortara, and Daniil Kvyat. Over in IMSA, it took to the monitor for the primary time on the 12 Horus of Sebring with Romain Grosjean, Matteo Cairoli, and Andrea Caldarelli. There, they positioned seventh.
Now, let’s let Monsieur Grosjean present us what this lean imply inexperienced machine is all about:
Grosjean says the automobile has had “good development, but as with everything in racing, not enough time.” The mission was first introduced again in May of 2022, and whereas which may look like loads of time to get one thing constructed for 2024, it’s a fairly rattling fast turnaround.
The entrance finish of the SC63 pulls tech from collection like Formula 1 (the pull rod) and IndyCar (anti-roll bar adjustment). As Grosjean explains, that entrance finish is all necessary in motorsport; you need to have the ability to actually lean into the entrance of the automobile, so you could know you may depend on it to be secure.
Unfortunately, Grosjean notes that the SC63 remains to be a bit testy on bumpy race tracks — and Sebring is just about all bump. Ample testing meant the machine completed on the lead lap (whereas in Qatar, it completed three laps behind the winner).
The actual stunner is the engine, although. The GTP class depends on a hybrid system; Lamborghini’s combustion part is a 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 that’s mated to a 50 kW Bosch electrical motor that makes an extra 67 horsepower. When Grosjean walks across the rear of the automobile, you may see simply how advanced it’s — however that’s what makes sports activities automobile racing so rattling good proper now. It’s technologically superior, however the racing remains to be distinctive.
As far as targets for Sebring, Grosjean was fairly tempered: He simply needed to complete the race, as a result of ending meant Lamborghini had constructed a dependable machine — and that it’ll be prepared for its massive exhibiting this summer time.
“If we can finish the 12 Hours of Sebring, we know we can finish the 24 Hours of Le Mans,” Grosjean stated. “I’m not even sure you can call [Le Mans] a race track. I love it, but bloody hell, it is bumpy!” With the Lamborghini SC63’s lead-lap end at Sebring and three extra months of improvement earlier than Le Mans, I’d say the crew is nicely on its strategy to making a powerful exhibiting.
Source: jalopnik.com