LAMBORGHINI IRON LYNX SUFFERS DNF AT WATKINS GLEN

Lamborghini Iron Lynx went from a really promising race start to a bitter conclusion in the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen, the third round of the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup and the second race of the #63 Lamborghini SC63 LMDh on American soil. The team lined up with a two-driver combination consisting of Matteo Cairoli and Andrea Caldarelli and proved quite competitive from the early part of the weekend, battling within the pack in terms of lap times. 

In Qualifying, Caldarelli claimed ninth, ending up close to the leading contenders of the series, and as he got ready for the start of the race, the team was aiming for a smooth run to capitalise on opportunities and make further gains.

The initial stints were positive, with Caldarelli and Cairoli making their way through the pack and climbing up to the top five. The main focus was then to strategically manage the threatening weather and sudden rainfalls that kept coming and going.

Unfortunately, after serving a drive-through for an infringement under caution, right after the middle of the race, water temperatures quickly rose due to a cooling system issue. As the car pitted and then went behind the wall, the efforts to put it back into contention proved unsuccessful.

The team is now ready to refocus on the next round of a busy season, the Six Hours of São Paulo.

It was sad to end the weekend with an issue, especially after Le Mans where we showed great reliability. Still, we can be satisfied with the progress we are making in terms of performance. We were battling within the pack, and despite a drive-through, we were looking forward to the last part of the race to capitalise on every opportunity. We will regroup and won’t stop working. We will soon start preparations for the upcoming Six Hours of São Paulo in Brazil.

Emmanuel Esnault, Racing Director

For sure, it’s not ideal to retire from a race, but we saw some positive moments during the weekend. Qualifying was the closest we have ever been with the SC63 to the pole. The car felt pretty good, and even at the start of the race, we were there with the pack and it was actually quite enjoyable. Unfortunately, we had to retire. We need to analyse what went wrong to be ready for next time. I have a bit of a long wait, but cannot wait to jump in the SC63 again.

Andrea Caldarelli

I think we showed quite a good pace, especially in mixed conditions, despite the fact that we are still lacking some performance compared to our competitors. I was quite happy about my stint and I will go home satisfied in that regard. Unfortunately, due to a technical issue, we had no chance to continue. It’s a pity we cannot finish the race, especially because in these conditions you never know what can happen. I want to thank the team for working day and night to give us a fast car. There is a lot to gain and we need to keep pushing forward.

Matteo Cairoli