How the Huracán GT3's 2017 Brands Hatch Blitz Cemented Lamborghini's Racing Credibility

Pole position, a track record, and two wins in one weekend against factory opposition.

Mirko Bortolotti and co-driver Christian Engelhart won both the Qualifying Race and the Main Race at the second round of the Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup, beating BMW and Audi factory entries in a 31-car field.

The pedigree gap Lamborghini had to close

Lamborghini lacked the decades of factory GT racing pedigree that Porsche and Ferrari could claim, and the early seasons after the Huracán GT3's 2015 debut involved building trust with customer teams and proving reliability across different circuits.

A braking advantage hidden in the steering wheel

The Huracán GT3 features a Bosch ABS system with 12 settings adjustable directly from the steering wheel, giving drivers like Bortolotti granular control over braking behavior from corner to corner.

One platform, a full decade of competition

Lamborghini ran updated versions of the same basic Huracán GT3 for a full decade while competitors like Porsche cycled through three entirely different GT3 platforms.

Racing lessons embedded in the road cars

Lamborghini's willingness to let Squadra Corse influence road car development, rather than treating motorsport as a marketing sideshow, traces directly to the credibility earned during seasons like 2017.

The pole lap that shattered the Brands Hatch record

Bortolotti qualified GRT's #63 Huracán GT3 on pole at Brands Hatch in May 2017 with a lap of 1:22.891, nearly half a second quicker than the previous circuit record.

Over 550 horsepower, regulated by Balance of Performance

Lamborghini states the naturally aspirated 5.2-liter V10 produces over 550 horsepower, though actual output in any given race depends on Balance of Performance regulations that series organizers use to equalize different manufacturers.

The Temerario GT3 successor and its new powerband

Teams and drivers who built their programs around the Huracán's characteristics now face adapting to the Temerario GT3's twin-turbocharged V8, an entirely new powerband, different weight distribution, and the complexities of turbo management in wheel-to-wheel racing.

The proof that Lamborghini belongs in this fight

GRT's double victory demonstrated that Lamborghini could compete at the front of GT3 grids on merit, a message that resonated with the customer teams who ultimately fund these programs by purchasing race cars from Squadra Corse.