Lamborghini Considering Return to Overseas World Final in 2023

Lamborghini is considering a return to staging its World Final overseas after next year, while the company’s North American arm is keen to bring the event back to its shores.

Portimao was recently confirmed as the venue for the 2022 World Final as the fifth consecutive European circuit to host the Super Trofeo regional and global finales.

The last World Final in North America took place at Sebring in 2015. Valencia, Imola, Vallelunga, Jerez and most recently Misano have all hosted the event since then.

The World Final brings together the grids from the regional Super Trofeo championships, with this year’s edition combining the fields from Europe and North America.

Lamborghini’s head of motorsport Giorgio Sanna acknowledged that the World Final location could move beyond Europe at the end of 2023.

That is also the year when the company hopes to revive its Asian single-make Super Trofeo series which has been put on hold during the coronavirus pandemic. 

“Of course there is the interest to organize again the World Final out of Europe, meaning in North America or Asia-Pacific,” Sanna told Sportscar365. 

“We will see in the next one year [how] the situation with COVID [evolves], first of all.

“Because Asia-Pacific is a region that from a motorsport and, in general, events point of view has been in sleep mode since two years.

“I hope that we will, very soon, have opportunities to wake up and warm the region again.

“We have to see the needs from the marketing and commercial perspectives, where it’s better to go. But we always have to keep into consideration that the Super Trofeo of today is not the Super Trofeo of a few years ago.

“It means that the number of cars that we will put in place is huge. To move many cars from Europe or Asia-Pacific to the United States, or to the opposite, is not so easy.

“In 2023 it will be the 60th anniversary of the company and the 10th anniversary of Squadra Corse. The first World Final was done in 2013 at Vallelunga.

“So we have something also to celebrate and we will evaluate where it makes more sense to make this happen.”

There is enthusiasm from the American side of Lamborghini’s racing division to bring the World Final back to the continent in 2023 after what will be an eight-year absence.

Lamborghini’s senior motorsport manager for the region, Chris Ward, said there is interest for the Super Trofeo championships to meet in the U.S in the medium-term.

“I’d love to go back,” he told Sportscar365. “The [North American] customers asked for it and a lot of European customers asked for it.

“Those who were with us at Sebring in 2015 thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

“[IMSA President] John Doonan has asked me the same question. I’ll be lobbying hard with all of my European counterparts to make sure that’s sooner than later.”

When asked which American circuit he thinks would hypothetically be best suited to being the site for the World Final, Ward put forward two famous venues in Florida.

“There are so many great circuits for us to race at in North America,” he said.

“Sebring would be a great fit because we operationally know how to do it.

“Probably as Lamborghini Squadra Corse – with our success at Daytona and three consecutive wins there in 2018, 2019 and 2020 – that’s kind of our track home.

“So a consideration of Daytona International Speedway would also be very exciting, and clearly an amazing draw for the European and hopefully our Asian series participants as well, as soon as we can get them back up and running.

“I know that one would be dear to all of our hearts if we’re able to go there.”