GT Open Champion VSR Switches to Endurance Cup

Reigning International GT Open champion Vincenzo Sospiri Racing will move to the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Endurance Cup this year as part of a tri-series GT3 program with Lamborghini.

The Italian team has announced that it will campaign a pair of Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evos in the Silver Cup class with members of the manufacturer’s GT3 Junior scheme.

Former Rinaldi Racing Ferrari driver Benjamin Hites will team up with Yuki Nemoto and GT Open champion Michele Beretta in one car, while the other Lamborghini will be piloted by Marcus Paverud, Michael Doerrbecker and Baptiste Moulin.

VSR’s full-season campaign in Endurance Cup comes after it contested the TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa last summer with Moulin, Nemoto, Martin Rump and Glenn van Berlo.

The team went on to seal the GT Open title later in the year with Beretta and Frederik Schandorff but was also starting to evaluate its options for a GTWC Europe move. 

VSR will also join the Michelin Le Mans Cup with a single car, maintaining its involvement on Michelin tires following its departure from GT Open.

The program is set to mark the first multi-race Lamborghini entry in the ACO-run Le Mans Cup series since Villorba Corse’s partial season in 2019.

The organization’s other plans include a return to the Italian GT Championship with a crew involving reigning Super Trofeo world champions Karol Basz and Mattia Michelotto.

VSR will fund Basz and Michelotto’s seats for the domestic season as a reward for their dominating performance at Misano last October.

Beretta, Hites, Nemoto and Andrea Cola will also drive for the team in Italian GT.

“It is always a pleasure to work with Giorgio [Sanna] and the Lamborghini Squadra Corse team and I’m very happy to continue our partnership this year,” Sospiri said.

“We will continue to focus on developing drivers for Lamborghini’s GT3 Young Driver Programme and look forward to being competitive in all three Championships.”

Lamborghini’s head of motorsport Giorgio Sanna added: “Lamborghini Squadra Corse shares a common target and vision with VSR – to develop young drivers and lead them towards a professional career.

“After a very successful 2021 season for VSR, we are glad to support Vincenzo and his team again in 2022 as they confront these new challenges with a mix of talented expert and rookie drivers.”

Vincenzo Sospiri Racing’s move from GT Open to GTWC Europe resembles the step made by fellow Lamborghini squad Emil Frey Racing when it switched to the SRO-run series after winning the GT Open title in 2019.