Mirko Bortolotti: “We have already achieved a lot in 2019”

Mirko Bortolotti and Grasser Racing Team have somehow lived their American dream at the start of the season. The Italian driver and the Austrian team, the main armed wing of Lamborghini Team Corse in GT3, achieved a historic double 24 Hours of Daytona – 12 Hours of Sebring in GTD between January and March.

A start to the season which allows the official driver of Sant'Agata Bolognese to approach the return to Europe, in the Blancpain GT Series, in a state of mind still conquering but already with the feeling of part of the duty accomplished.

“You can't expect such a result in such a complex category that we were competing in (GTD), Bortolotti told us in Monza. GT3 is so competitive today, and the Balance of Performance offers the opportunity for all of these cars to compete. It's the best possible thing.

It's part of the game, and that's why the level of competition is so high. This start to the year is obviously really fantastic. To win again at Daytona, in such chaotic conditions... to be honest, it was incredible to be there at the right time. You can't compare it to Daytona 2018, where the feelings and the scenario were different.

Sebring was also incredible, I still get goosebumps from it. It's one of the best races of my career. We have won in a sense what we had to win. So we start the rest of the season, with much less pressure, because we have already accomplished a lot for 2019 »

A double achieved at the wheel of the new Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo, which will make its debut in the Blancpain GT Series this weekend at Monza, almost at home for the Italian brand. A GT3 that Bortolotti sees more as a new type of car, more than an evolution of the old Huracan.

“She has progressed in certain areas,” specifies the Italian. The main goal was to improve the handling of the car. The previous Huracan was a bit tricky. To get the full performance out of it, you had to be really aggressive, have aggressive settings, and always be on the edge.

If you want to win in any championship, you obviously always have to be at the limit, but clearly the car is smoother, and more accessible for Pros but also gentlemen drivers.

From this perspective, it was clear that we had to improve, especially on the front end. The car makes more “sense” aerodynamically. We also found improvements for races and long runs. »

Titled in Endurance Cup and in the cumulative classification of the Blancpain GT Series in 2017, Bortolotti will find his traditional teammate Christian Engelhart in the long races and in World Challenge Europe. To finally aim for consecration in Sprint?

“For me, clearly, after winning the Endurance Cup and the general classification two years ago and even if we race to win everywhere, I think that with Christian Engelhart we have the right crew for the World Challenge. It would be a lie to hide that I aim very high on this series »