TIME TO WRAP UP: LAMBORGHINI IRON LYNX COMPLETES 2024 IMSA SEASON AT MOTUL PETIT LE MANS
Lamborghini Iron Lynx signed off the 2024 IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup with the 27th running of the Motul Petit Le Mans. The team faced a challenging day at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, but also had positive signs to take away including setting the fastest lap of the race.
Lining up for the 10-hour day-to-night event, the team found early challenges in taming the highly bumpy track surface. However, Matteo Cairoli, Andrea Caldarelli, and Romain Grosjean didn’t back down for a second, working hard throughout the sessions to improve the car’s setup.
After a smooth start, the team stayed with the pack in the opening stages, with Caldarelli and Grosjean behind the wheel in the two opening stints. Unfortunately, Cairoli was hit from behind around mid-distance at the end of an equally positive run.
The incident prompted a lengthy pit stop for repairs. Despite losing four laps, which included a penalty assessed for a pit infringement, the #63 trio delivered increasingly competitive pace as the race progressed into the night.
While it was not possible to aim for the top five, Cairoli, Caldarelli and Grosjean managed to gain ground on the cars in front and the Frenchman eventually set the fastest lap of the race, showing great potential. Despite an issue in the final minutes, the #63 car was able to cross the finish line P8 in the GTP class.
As the American season draws to a close with good promise and work to do, Lamborghini Iron Lynx is looking ahead to the final round of the FIA World Endurance Championship at Bahrain International Circuit.
Emmanuel Esnault, Racing Director: “This weekend surely had its challenges. We were aware that this type of racetrack was probably not going to fully suit our car. Still, we worked to maximise everything we had, and Matteo, Andrea, and Romain once again approached the race and drove in impressive fashion. Unfortunately, there are things we can’t control and today’s contact was a prime example, but we showed some performance and the car ran smoothly almost all day. We now need to keep working on all aspects to finish the year in the best possible way in Bahrain.”
Matteo Cairoli: “It was a bit of a complicated weekend and not having a lot of driving time before the race didn’t make my life easier. Still, we managed to make steps forward, and that’s definitely a positive signal for the future. I want to thank all of Lamborghini Iron Lynx for this season and now we look to make more advancements for the next!”
Andrea Caldarelli: “Not the best weekend for us. After sunset, we suddenly found more pace and we were actually going quite well. Unfortunately, before that, we lost laps due to a few issues and we couldn’t get them back. It’s a pity because in the evening the car was very good. We still have a lot of work ahead of us. This wasn’t the best track for us in terms of layout and we struggled a lot during the day, but we got some good data to work on and prepare for next year.”
Romain Grosjean: “It’s been a fantastic experience to work with Lamborghini Iron Lynx in GTP this year and we really learned a lot. A bit of a rough day for us today, with no yellows to come back on the laps and then with a mechanical at the end, but we can also be proud for having the fastest lap of the race in normal conditions. It shows that there is a lot of potential in the car and hopefully, we can keep unlocking it for next year.”