Experienced one-make and GT3 driver joins expanded roster of official drivers ahead of the 2024 season
Sant’Agata Bolognese, 28 November 2023 – Loris Spinelli has been unveiled as the latest addition to the Lamborghini Squadra Corse factory driver roster for the 2024 racing season.
The Italian, who resides in Florida, joins an illustrious roster of factory supported drivers, having spent much of his car racing career to date with the Sant’Agata Bolognese firm. Together with Sandy Mitchell, Marco Mapelli, Franck Perera, Leonardo Pulcini and Jordan Pepper among the GT3 ranks.
The expanded Factory Driver roster compliments the existing LMDh line-up of Mirko Bortolotti, Andrea Caldarelli, Romain Grosjean and Daniil Kvyat.
A decorated go-karter in his youth, Spinelli won European and world championship in the shifter category before making the transition to car racing in 2015, making his debut in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo championship. He won the Pro championship in 2017 and has amassed multiple victories and class titles in both the European and North American categories. More recently, he dominated Super Trofeo Europe in 2022, winning the title with a round to spare.
Spinelli is also an experienced GT3 driver, having competed in the most prestigious endurance events in the world, such as the Daytona 24 Hours, Spa 24 Hours and the 12 Hours of Sebring. Having moved to the United States in 2022, Spinelli has primarily driven in the GT World Challenge America series and the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship over the past few seasons; he produced a scintillating qualifying performance in the latter at Watkins Glen earlier this year to take overall pole position and formed one third of the winning GTD crew at the 10-hour Petit Le Mans season finale in October.
Next season, Spinelli will again contest the Weather IMSA Sports Car Championship with Forte Racing as an official Lamborghini Factory Driver, marking an exciting new stage in the 27-year-old’s (who turns 28 on December 30th) endurance racing career.
“This is a dream come true, for sure. It’s been a big goal for me since 2015 to achieve this result, I am really proud to be part of Lamborghini Squadra Corse. I have always had a really good feeling with the car, the personnel involved in this programme, and I cannot wait to get started in 2024. The first time I drove the Super Trofeo car, I had such an amazing feeling, and it has given me a lot in the past; then this year, we won the Petit Le Mans which was the most important result in my career. I have had the opportunity to work with Marco Mapelli in Daytona earlier this year and I have learned a lot from him, as I have done with the other factory drivers, but especially Marco. We have had a good relationship since I started in Super Trofeo, so this is a huge opportunity for me to learn even more going forward.”
Lamborghini head of motorsport, Giorgio Sanna added: “We are thrilled to promote Loris to factory driver status for next season. His speed demonstrated in both the European and North American Super Trofeo seasons over the past few years, combined with the experience gained with the Huracán GT3 last season, have demonstrated the validity of our young drivers’ program within Lamborghini Squadra Corse.”
In addition to becoming the Sant’Agata Bolognese firm’s latest factory driver, Spinelli also came out on top in the season-ending GT3 Junior driver shootout, a selection between the most talented GT3 drivers that was held at Vallelunga following the Lamborghini World Finals event.