Bartholomew and Pull Sweep Dubai as Super Trofeo Middle East Proves Its Worth
A second-row start became a commanding double victory at the Dubai Autodrome.
Jack Bartholomew and James Pull swept both races during the second round of the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Middle East on February 16-17 at the Dubai Autodrome, turning a second-row grid position into a commanding double victory.
Equal machinery, unequal results
The Huracán Super Trofeo is a rear-wheel-drive, purpose-built racer that shares its naturally aspirated 5.2-liter V10 DNA with the road car but strips away all-wheel drive and most creature comforts in favor of a carbon-and-aluminum chassis optimized for circuit work.
The talent pipeline from customer team to factory program
A driver proves consistency and racecraft in the Super Trofeo, builds relationships with established customer teams like Konrad Motorsport or FFF Racing, and eventually earns consideration for GT3 endurance programs where the stakes and competition are significantly higher.
From V10 to twin-turbo V8
Drivers who cut their teeth on the naturally aspirated V10 in Dubai or Monza will eventually need to adapt to the Temerario's twin-turbo V8 architecture, a fundamentally different powerband that demands different driving techniques and racecraft.
The system Lamborghini designed
The Super Trofeo sits below GT3 in outright pace and technical complexity, which makes it both more accessible for newcomers and more revealing of raw driver skill, because when everyone drives the same car the stopwatch measures the person, not the budget.
Small errors, large consequences
The gap at the flag made the second consecutive win look comfortable, but the mid-race sequence told a different story: this was a field where small errors carried large consequences and the drivers who kept their composure were the ones who climbed.
Jefferies forces his way past on the final lap
Axcil Jefferies and Taylor Proto ran wheel-to-wheel in the closing laps before Jefferies forced his way past on the final tour, claiming second overall and first in the Pro-Am category for Konrad Motorsport.
Where it all started: the Gallardo era
Lamborghini launched the Super Trofeo in 2009 with the Gallardo, positioning it from the start as the fastest one-make championship in the world with a straightforward concept: give teams identical machinery and let talent sort itself out.
Three consecutive Pro-class wins
Bartholomew's dominance in the Pro class during this Middle East season, three consecutive wins according to available reporting on the 2018 campaign, represents the kind of sustained performance that catches the attention of factory decision-makers.
Adapting to the next generation
Teams and drivers who built their programs around the Huracán's characteristics face a transition that means adapting to new weight distribution, turbo management in wheel-to-wheel racing, and an entirely different throttle response profile.
Season finale: March 1-3 at Dubai Autodrome
The third and final round of the Super Trofeo Middle East is scheduled for March 1-3 at the Dubai Autodrome, this time using a different track layout, with the real drama likely centered on the Pro-Am and Lamborghini Cup battles where the margins remain tight.