Driving a car in the Hypercar class of the FIA World Endurance Championship race series pretty much sums up a serious dream job for about 80% of the automotive enthusiast population. A shockwave rippled around the world when Lamborghini confirmed they would not participate in the 2025 FIA WEC.
Fear not, aspiring Lamborghini race drivers. The dream is not over. The Italian hypercar manufacturer has confirmed that the SC63 is still a priority, which seems to indicate that this is a temporary pause in participation rather than a full stop.
However, that leaves many questions for motorsports fans. What caused the separation? What do they plan to do with the SC63? What are the overall plans for Squadra Corse in 2025, anyway? While few details have been confirmed for certain, it’s very clear that Lamborghini isn’t backing out of the motorsports arena any time soon, and the SC63 is still very much alive.
No More WEC?
In May 2022, Lamborghini announced Squadra Corse was working on a prototype vehicle specifically designed for the FIA World Endurance Championship and IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. In July 2023, the SC63 made its debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed and was soon participating in tests around the world.
However, in November 2024, Lamborghini released a statement noting that they had “elected to sit out the 2025 FIA WEC while remaining committed to SC63 development by continuing in the IMSA SportsCar Championship in the United States.” This reflects participation in both the Hypercar and Le Mans Grand Touring Car (LMGT3) classes, which means the Huracan GT3 EVO2 is also sitting out the 2025 WEC series.
What Happened?
Critics have taken it upon themselves to blame the car itself. While it’s true that the #63 SC63 had a rough maiden year, there were plenty of high points, too. Making its 2024 FIA WEC season debut in the Qatar 1812 KM, also the first round for the season, the SC63 finished 14th. During the second round at Imola on April 21, the SC63 finished 12th, followed by an inspiring top 10 finish at the 92nd 24 Hours of Le Mans. However, a tire puncture set the Iron Lynx team back to 17th place at the Six Hours of Sao Paolo, and both the team’s bid at the Six Hours of Fuji and Eight Hours of Bahrain were plagued with mechanical issues.
While Lamborghini seems to confirm that additional development is needed in order for the SC63 to reach the manufacturer’s true goals, they have also pointed to the new FIA WEC “two car” rule. Starting with the 2025 season, manufacturers participating in the Hypercar category must enter a minimum of two cars in order to score points in the FIA Hypercar World Endurance Manufacturers’ Championship. This change is intended to “improve sporting fairness and ensure a level playing field,” according to statements from FIA and ACE. Without being too specific, Lamborghini has simply stated that they plan to focus on the GT3 race version of the newly developed Temerario and that the WEC rule change no longer reflects the goals for SC63.
What Will Happen to the SC63?
For many car enthusiasts, the biggest concern is for the future of the SC63. After all, this is a serious piece of machinery that’s been tearing up the endurance courses. Powered by a newly engineered 3.8L twin-turbo V8 accompanied by a rear-mounted 50kW electric motor, the 671 hp SC63 keeps hustling to a 2.9-second 0-60 mile per hour acceleration time. With eight different radiators and a custom chassis from LMDh-approved Ligier Automotive, the SC63 was specifically engineered and built around the rules and regulations of the WEC’s Hypercar division.
However, the Lamborghini SC63‘s participation in WEC has no bearing on its participation in IMSA events. Furthermore, the IMSA doesn’t have a two-car rule. In December 2024, Lamborghini confirmed that Mirko Bortolotti, Romain Grosjean, Daniil Kvyat, and Edoardo Mortara would drive a single factory-supported SC63 in the GT Prototype (GTP) class of the Michelin Endurance Cup.
Having participated in the GTP class of the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship throughout 2024, including a seventh-place finish at 12 Hours of Sebring in Florida, the SC63 and its drivers are prepared for a challenging 2025 series, which kicks off in January with the Rolex 24 At Daytona and concludes in October with the Motul Petit Le Mans in Atlanta. It seems pretty clear that the SC63 isn’t going anywhere in the near future except faster and further on the IMSA circuit.
Other Lamborghini Successes
It’s also important to note that the SC63 is just one car in a racing stable of very, very fast cars. 2024 was a great year for Squadra Corse, with Lamborghini earning its first Super GT300 title when Takashi Kogure. Yuya Motojima wrapped up the season with their fourth victory of the year at the Suzuka 300 KM. Overall, the #88 Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2 had an inspiring season that resulted in a double Drivers’ and Teams’ title in the British GT Championship and the Teams’ title in the International GT Open.
Squadra Corse also made history by seizing the 2024 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) championship. While Lamborghini factory driver Mirko Bortolotti has experience in endurance races, the #92 Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2 is new to the track, the first to claim the DTM title in its maiden season.
In fact, Mirko Bortolloti, joined by Jordan Pepper and Franck Perera, was behind the wheel of the #19 Iron Lynx Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2 during the historic Lamborghini win at the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta. Not only was this the team’s first win in the IMSA GTD Pro category, but it was also the first victorious collaboration between Lamborghini, GT3, and Iron Lynx.
We also know that Lamborghini is working on some serious performance projects, such as the recent Essenza SCV12. With only 40 Essenza SCV12 cars produced exclusively for track use, this is clearly an intensely upscale car that only those with the largest budgets and most impressive track credentials will own. After all, a car that goes 210 mph is a lot of responsibility.
Then, of course, there’s the Temerario GT3. As confirmed in November 2024, we know that Lamborghini intends to replace the Huracan GT3 platform and is slated for competition in the 2026 season. That means 2025 will be full of testing, tweaking, and perfecting in a race against not only the clock but also other competitors like Lexus and Mercedes-AMG, who are working on their own updated platforms.
The Future Is Coming Fast
Of course, when you’re driving for Squadra Corse, everything is fast. Who ever heard of a slow Lambo? While the Italian manufacturer confirming that they had withdrawn from WEC came as somewhat of a surprise, it doesn’t appear to be bad news. With the SC63 entering the competition as a brand-new vehicle followed by a rocky road of mechanical issues, it’s understandable that Lamborghini would want to focus their efforts on more successful endeavors. If the 2025 Squadra Corse schedule is anything to tell by, it appears that the Lamborghini factory drivers and team members have a busy schedule ahead of them.
Therefore, it seems clear that we shouldn’t worry about Lamborghini giving up on motorsports any time soon. In fact, if anything, we should expect bigger and better things in the next few years, given their overall plans for Squadra Corse and the Temerario GT3. Of course, we’ll just have to wait patiently for the big reveal. Until then, we can plan on a full year of Lamborghini motorsports.
