The DTM season is fast approaching, and with it arise doubts about the new Lamborghini Temerario GT3. This new machine, which replaces the successful Huracan GT3 Evo2 for the 2026 competition, has not had an easy start in competitive conditions.
Mirko Bortolotti, factory driver, has expressed his concerns regarding the expectations for the car, acknowledging that after his performance at the recent GT World Challenge in France, he doubts they will be fighting for front positions. “Time will tell what we can achieve with the car, but the first months are not motivating,” confessed Bortolotti.
One of the reasons for this situation is the limitation on testing opportunities in the DTM, which increases pressure on the vehicle’s development. “We have to make the most of every lap to learn and develop the car quickly, because there is still a lot of work to do,” added the 2024 DTM champion.
Issues with Brakes and Cornering Response
The Lamborghini Temerario GT3 was unveiled in the summer of 2025 and represents a significant shift for the brand. It is the first competition car designed entirely in-house, without collaboration from Audi, unlike its predecessor. Additionally, it has switched to a twin-turbo V8 engine, instead of the Huracan’s atmospheric V10.
Bortolotti commented that the car is completely new and requires significant adjustment for everyone, both teams and drivers. Grasser Racing received the vehicles at the end of the first week of March 2026, while the Abt team had to wait even longer.
It seems that the cars were delivered without a fully refined base setup, with tests reporting issues with brakes and a lack of response when entering corners. There are doubts about whether the Temerario can reach a competitive level simply with adjustments to the Balance of Performance.
Reliability as the Only Positive Point So Far
Despite the challenges, the reliability of the Temerario is one of its few positive aspects. Both at Sebring and in the opening round of the GT World Challenge Europe at Le Castellet, the car completed full race distances. “The most positive aspect is the reliability,” stated team principal Gottfried Grasser.
During the official DTM tests in Spielberg, the four Temerario drivers completed a total of 497 laps, but the time deficit remained considerable. Engstler, the newcomer from Abt, was Lamborghini’s fastest driver, still nearly a second off the best time set by Ben Dorr’s McLaren.
Difficulties with Tires in Race Conditions
These shortcomings were evident during the Paul Ricard round of the GTWCE, where Grasser’s team could not play a significant role. Their struggle to get the tires to their optimum temperature has been a challenge. Grasser acknowledges that although they found a good balance in the setup, they could not overcome the technical gap.
Performance Pressure Before the DTM Start
With the DTM featuring one-hour sprint races, reliability alone will not guarantee satisfactory results. “In the DTM, it’s all about performance, and if you don’t have performance, you won’t be well regarded,” noted Bortolotti, reiterating that there is still much work to be done to achieve good performance with the new model.
The DTM community hopes that Lamborghini can overcome these challenges and begin to demonstrate the potential of its new Temerario GT3 in the upcoming races.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
