Pfaff to Operate Temerario GT3 North American Test Program

Photo: Lamborghini

Pfaff Motorsports will operate the North American test program for the Lamborghini Temerario GT3 in partnership with Lamborghini Squadra Corse, which is set to kick off at next month’s IMSA-sanctioned test at Daytona International Speedway.

The Canadian squad, which is already confirmed to be continuing its partnership with the Italian manufacturer in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTD Pro class next year, has also been earmarked to give the new-for-2025 GT3 car its global race debut in next year’s Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring according to Pfaff Motorsports general manager Steve Bortolotti.

“As soon as the car is ready we’ll debut it in North America,” Bortolotti told Sportscar365. “We’re targeting Sebring so hopefully that should be the goal.

“We have some tests coming up in November at the [IMSA]-sanctioned test and at the Sebring endurance test.”

Bortolotti explained that his team will soon take possession of the turbocharged V8-powered test car and prep it for its North American public debut at Daytona on Nov. 13-16.

It will be immediately followed by the first planned endurance test for the Temerario GT3 at Sebring International Raceway, where it’s believed that Lamborghini Squarda Corse and Pfaff will attempt a 24-hour continuous run with the car.

More than 7,000 kms have already been completed between two different test cars, prior to the most recent Paul Ricard outing before the car was air-freighted to North America.

“I was at the first on-track test in early June with the car in Italy, which was really cool to see how successful it was,” said Bortolotti.

“It put a lot of wind in my sails and got me really excited for it, just seeing how [well it went]. They had realistic expectations for a new rollout and they killed it.

“Everyone was really happy and it went quite smooth from what I saw. Being part of the development, making sure the car is able to meet the unique demands of this market in IMSA is pretty cool to be a part of.

“It’s something we’ve always dreamed to be doing with a manufacturer, in partnership, and we couldn’t be happier to have that with Lamborghini.

“As always, with any new car there’s going to be things that you have to address, which we’ll happily be in lock-step with them for.

“Going to Daytona for the sanctioned test and the doing the endurance test at Sebring, the expectation of my team is that they’ll be up to speed with the car by the end of that.

“So whenever the car is ready to be debuted, we’ll just be that much more sorted to do well.”

With a long-term partnership with Lamborghini locked into place, which began late last year after the team’s switch from McLaren GT3 machinery, Bortolotti admitted that he’s heading into what will be a busy off-season of testing with more direction to lend to his team.

“It’s funny,” he said. “I was actually talking to my wife about that. It’s such a welcome change for us, in October, being like, ‘Cool, I have a job next year.’

“Never in my wildest dreams would I have expected it, especially given where we were this time last year. But everything happens for a reason.

“I think we do a good job as a program and being a steady hand in the paddock. It seems to be paying off with Lamborghini. We’re looking forward to it.”

Caldarelli, Mapelli Likely to Be Split Between IMSA, Europe Programs

While yet to be confirmed from Squadra Corse, Lamborghini factory drivers Andrea Caldarelli and Marco Mapelli will likely be split up next year, with each spearheading a Temerario GT3 program on different sides of the Atlantic.

The Lamborghini factory drivers joined forces in Pfaff’s Huracan GT3 EVO2 entry this past season.

“They have a logical plan,” said Bortolotti. “Andrea and Marco have done almost all of the driving of the Temerario GT3 to my knowledge, so I don’t know if them being together in one market is fair to Europe.

“I guess it would be a logical thing for them to split up, to put one in one market and one in another. Whatever Lamborghini decides, between the two of them, I’m happy with.”

Bortolotti confirmed that team regular James Hinchcliffe, who was part of Pfaff’s lineup in the Rolex 24 at Daytona, Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring and the recent season-ending Motul Petit Le Mans, is set to drive at only Daytona next year, as the team’s fourth driver, in what will likely be Pfaff’s final outing with the Huracan GT3 EVO2.

“Next year, with the goal of debuting the new car at Sebring, the goal is to debut the car with a full factory lineup,” said Bortolotti. “That’s the plan as of now.

“They’ll have whoever they want in the car, really. We’re just kind of along for the ride.”

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John