Lamborghini Iron Lynx returns to the USA for FIA WEC’s Lone Star Le Mans in Texas

Bortolotti, Kvyat and Mortara hope for better fortunes at Circuit of the Americas this weekend

Lamborghini Iron Lynx will be aiming to bounce back from a disappointing race in Brazil as the FIA World Endurance Championship heads to the Circuit of the Americas in Texas for round five of the 2024 season this weekend.

The #63 crew of Mirko Bortolotti, Daniil Kvyat and Edoardo Mortara remains unchanged for the Lone Star Le Mans, with improved performance versus its rivals the key priority after a somewhat below-par previous round in São Paulo.

Of particular concern during the race in Brazil was the long-run pace on the harder Michelin Pilot compound tyre in the early stages of the race, which necessitated moving onto the faster, but less durable medium compound. This strategy initially left the #63 inside the top 10, but a drop in speed combined with a puncture in the second half of the race meant the crew could only finish 17^th.

Unlike in São Paulo, however, Lamborghini Iron Lynx arrives at COTA this weekend with the relative luxury of having tested at the track multiple times, most recently with Kvyat during the FIA WEC tyre test for Michelin. The team also had the chance to run last December with the SC63, although rain and low temperatures limited the track time and the opportunity to gain any significant data. Therefore, hitting the ground running during free practice will be a key objective for all three drivers.

Meanwhile, in the LMGT3 class, redemption is also on the mind of the #85 Iron Dames combination of Sarah Bovy, Rahel Frey and Michelle Gatting who, after dominating the opening stages of the São Paulo race from pole position, missed out on a likely podium due to a burst water pump in the pits. The #60 crew of Franck Perera, Claudio Schiavoni and Matteo Cressoni also remains unchanged and will be targeting a return to the points-paying positions on Sunday afternoon.

Track Description
The 5.513 km, 20-turn circuit presents a variety of challenges and overtaking opportunities for drivers, with the long back-straight perhaps the only section of the track which allows for relaxation. The iconic uphill run towards the tight first corner hairpin should deliver plenty of action, while the twisty continuous left-right sequence may also play a big role during the race, particularly with LMGT3 traffic. The rest of the circuit is a combination of high-speed straights and heavy braking, while the final sector will test the medium-speed prowess of the SC63 on a largely flat and smooth surface.

Q&A with Mirko Bortolotti (#63 Lamborghini Iron Lynx)

How important is it to hit the ground running on a circuit where the SC63 has previously tested?
“For sure we are looking forward to being back in the WEC, the team has been testing there just recently for the Michelin test which Daniil did, so we have some knowledge and data that we can use with those extra days. That should hopefully help prepare the weekend, but our main focus is to try and unlock more about the car which has been our goal throughout the season.”

Is the COTA track one which could potentially suit the SC63 and what do you expect to achieve?
“We’ve been to all sorts of tracks this year with varying typologies and we’ve had a similar challenge at each of these venues, so I don’t expect COTA to be a game-changer for us. We know which areas we need to improve the car, something that cannot be done from one race to another, so ideally, we are aiming to have a clean weekend, building on the good reliability of the car and maximizing everything we can to try and finish in the points again.”

What are the main objectives and challenges this weekend?
“We are still looking to improve the performance of the car, which is not easy as we have not had many chances to develop it this season. We know that it will probably be a difficult weekend pace wise, but we are there to collect more data for the next seasons and hopefully we can use what we learn well. Our main issue is obviously lap-time, but we just need to concentrate on our own objectives and get to the finish. I think if everything goes smoothly from our side and the cars in front of us, which are faster, encounter some issues, then a top 10 could be possible but it’s too early to look that far ahead.”

The weekend at a glance

Friday 30^th August
Free Practice 1 (12:40-14:10)
Free Practice 2 (17:10-18:40)

Saturday 31^st August
Free Practice 3 (11:00-12:00)
Qualifying – LMGT3 (15:00-15:12)
Hyperpole – LMGT3 (15:20-15:30)
Qualifying – Hypercar (15:40-15:52)
Hyperpole – Hypercar (16:00-16:10)

Sunday 1^st September
Race (13:00-19:00)