Pulcini Earns Lamborghini Factory Driver Status as Squadra Corse Adds a New Rung to Its Racing Ladder

One winner from 15 GT3 Junior candidates, plus a brand-new Young Professional tier that already has its first three graduates.

Leonardo Pulcini will race as an official Lamborghini Factory Driver in 2023 after topping a field of 15 GT3 Junior candidates at the shootout held at Portugal's Circuito Internacional do Algarve in Portimão.

Briefing room: where Squadra Corse's evaluation extends beyond the cockpit

Lamborghini introduced the Young Professional Driver category to bridge the gap between promising Super Trofeo talent and the small handful of seats available at factory level, giving experienced GT3 drivers dedicated financial and technical support.

Pit-lane preparation at Portimão: pace is only part of the test

Squadra Corse's technical staff evaluated candidates on single-lap pace, consistency, professionalism, technical feedback quality, and attitude on and off the track, because a factory driver also represents Lamborghini at sponsor events, engineering debriefs, and media sessions.

The pipeline's first proof: from Young Professional to factory contract

Danny Formal, Yuki Nemoto, and Maximilian Paul became the first three Young Professional Drivers, arriving through Super Trofeo North America, Italian GT and GTWC Endurance, and ADAC GT Masters respectively — and Paul was later promoted to full Factory Driver status for 2026, confirming the new tier already works.