Orange 1 FFF Racing Team and Lamborghini return to Intercontinental GT Challenge in 2021

After a severely disrupted season last year, 2021 is a year of fresh optimism for the Orange1 FFF Racing Team as it embarks on another Intercontinental GT Challenge campaign with a full Lamborghini Factory Driver line-up to lead the charge. 

The series, promoted by the Stéphane Ratel Organisation will be disputed over four events, starting with the iconic 24 Hours of Spa, following the cancellation of the Bathurst 12 Hours. IGTC pitches Lamborghini against some of the world’s best manufacturers and is regarded as the pinnacle of GT racing. 

Also on the 2021 agenda will be the 10 Hours of Suzuka in Japan on the weekend of 20-22nd August, the 8 Hours of Indianapolis in September before concluding on the opening weekend of December with the 9 Hours of Kyalami in South Africa, making it a true global series.

Once again, the Chinese team’s line-up will feature a 100% Lamborghini Factory Driver roster, with team co-owner Andrea Caldarelli joined by Marco Mapelli and Mirko Bortolotti. Caldarelli and Mapelli secured an historic unofficial triple crown of GT World Challenge Europe titles – the Sprint, Endurance and Overall crowns – in 2019, becoming the first crew to win both the Sprint and Endurance championships in the same year. Alongside returning Factory Driver Bortolotti, they will be looking to add the Intercontinental GT Challenge title to the team’s ever-increasing résumé in 2021.

Bortolotti is also no stranger to Orange1 FFF Racing Team, having driven for the team at Macau at the end of the 2016 season before making a second appearance the following year. Bortolotti is also former GT World Challenge Endurance Cup champion – with Grasser Racing Team in 2017 alongside Caldarelli.

Fu Songyang, ORANGE1 FFF Racing Team by ACM

“After the complicated winter months, I am happy to be able to deliver some good news. It is an honor and a privilege for us to get back to race for Lamborghini Squadra Corse in the Intercontinental GT Challenge, which undoubtedly was an interrupted story last year. The partnership with ORANGE1 and Armando Donazzan (President of ORANGE1 Holding) is really important to us, especially because it confirms the trust in a great, high-value international brand, while the IGTC platform represents the best way for us to put ourselves to the test again. I think we have the best possible line-up of drivers, in terms of speed, reliability and achievements, a condition that undoubtedly puts us among the top contenders for the title”.

Giorgio Sanna, Lamborghini Head of Motorsport

“The Intercontinental GT Challenge participation provides a new motivating challenge for the whole of Lamborghini Squadra Corse. An incentive to continuously improve and to reach new goals. For that reason, we are counting on the likes of ORANGE1 1 FFF Racing, a top-level team, and the three Italian Lamborghini Factory Drivers well known for their talent to deliver yet more success on the track. These drivers have played an important role in the recent GT racing success of Lamborghini Squadra Corse and have the potential to create more history this year”.

Intercontinental GT Challenge 2021

Round 1          24 Hours of Spa                        29 July – 1 August
Round 2          10 Hours of Suzuka                   20 – 22 August
Round 3          8 Hours of Indianapolis             15 – 17 October
Round 4          9 Hours of Kyalami                    2 – 4 December