FFF Takes Sabbatical from GT3; Lamborghini Ties Intact

FFF Racing Team will take a sabbatical from GT3 racing this year, but the organization intends to return in 2023 under its ongoing association with Lamborghini.

Sportscar365 can reveal that FFF, which is owned by Chinese businessman Fu Songyang and run by driver and team principal Andrea Caldarelli, will not enter any GT3 races in 2022.

The team’s focus for this year will shift solely to its continuing Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe program with the updated Huracan Super Trofeo EVO2 model.

It plans to return in 2023 when Lamborghini introduces the second evolution of the Huracan GT3 product.

Songyang iterated that the team’s forthcoming absence from the GT3 grid “is not a goodbye” as FFF takes time to evaluate its options for future projects.

“We took this decision together with Andrea Caldarelli because we are aiming at very ambitious and prestigious programs for the short-term future in motorsport,” he said.

“The GT3 category is evolving in many ways, as are we at FFF Racing Group. That is the reason why we decided to not enter any GT3 races this year.

“I think we have shown attitude, skills and passion for our work like nobody else did before. We won every competition we entered, and we set records every season, being always competitive and fighting for the win.

“This is the most important thing for me, and it’s what makes me proud of my team, from the mechanics to the drivers, from every technician to suppliers, and long-time partners such as Lamborghini Squadra Corse, Orange1 and Roger Dubuis.

“We will keep working together this year in other categories and I am sure in the future as well. This is not a goodbye.”

FFF has been one of Lamborghini’s top GT3 teams in recent years, fielding cars in the Pro and Pro-Am classes.

It won Blancpain GT Series Asia in 2018 before bursting onto the European scene the following year with a triple crown of Pro titles in what is currently known as Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS.

Its other achievements have included sealing a gold medal at the 2019 FIA Motorsport Games as Team Japan and claiming a Road to Le Mans double victory in 2020.

FFF has also represented Lamborghini in several major GT3 competitions including the TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa, the Nürburgring 24 and the Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour.

Last season marked its third GTWC Europe Endurance Cup campaign. The all-factory driving trio of Caldarelli, Mirko Bortolotti and Marco Mapelli led four out of five qualifying sessions and won the 3 Hours of the Nürburgring en route to finishing fourth in the standings.

The news of FFF Racing Team’s plans to step back from GT3 comes one day after an announcement that Caldarelli and Mapelli will drive for K-PAX Racing in the 24 Hours of Spa.

Sportscar365 understands that Emil Frey Racing is set to continue representing Lamborghini in the GTWC Europe Endurance Cup Pro class on a full-time basis, while more teams including AGS Events and Barwell Motorsport are set to run the Huracan GT3 Evo in other classes.