Rutronik Racing partners with Lamborghini and unveils its 2026 program in the GT World Challenge Europe

This major alliance marks a turning point in the trajectory of the Rutronik Racing team, led by Klaus Graf. The team will be among the first to field the Temerario GT3 in international competition. This collaboration with the Italian brand is a long-term commitment, with the ambition of establishing itself as a leading force in the European GT3 scene.

“With great anticipation and enthusiasm, we are embarking on a new strategic partnership with Lamborghini in 2026. For Rutronik Racing, this is a new step in the team's development.”"This is a key point," emphasizes Klaus Graf. The team boss recalls the positive momentum built up in recent seasons: “We are very proud of what we have achieved in recent years, which we were able to confirm with the GT World Challenge Europe title.” Endurance Cup. It's now time to look ahead and take the next step. The objective is clear: to capitalize on recent successes to build a solid medium- and long-term project with a leading manufacturer. Champions with Porsche Last year, the Germans will have to face a completely different philosophy now.

The 2025 season was indeed built around a dual commitment to the Porsche 911 GT3 R. The #96 car was driven by Patric Niederhauser, who was retained for the transition, Sven Müller, and Alessio Picariello – a solid trio that largely contributed to the German team's championship title. Meanwhile, the #97 was entrusted to Antares Au, Morris Schuring, Loek Hartog, and Eshan Pieris, with a program alternating between Sprint and Endurance races depending on the event. This competitive and consistent Porsche base served as a springboard for Lamborghini's new strategic shift for 2026.

A highly anticipated Temerario GT3

Unveiled at the Goodwood Festival of Speed ​​in the summer of 2025, the Temerario GT3 offered a first glimpse of its ambitions. Equipped with a 4-liter twin-turbo V8 producing around 550 horsepower, it ushers in a new era for Lamborghini in GT3 racing.

The 2026 season will reveal its official competitive debut, in a championship where Lamborghini has already distinguished itself on numerous occasions with the different generations of Huracán. "2026 marks the Temerario GT3's racing debut in a prestigious championship like the GT World Challenge Europe.", recalls Rouven Mohr, technical director of Lamborghini. "We will further strengthen our competitiveness with a highly experienced and professional team like Rutronik Racing."

To accompany this launch, Rutronik Racing will field an all-Lamborghini factory driver lineup: Patric Niederhauser, Luca Engstler, and Marco Mapelli. The Swiss driver, who won the endurance championship last year with Rutronik Racing when the team was still using a Porsche chassis, continues his journey by joining Lamborghini. Luca Engstler, winner of the 2025 Spa 24 Hours with the Italian marque, has established himself as one of the leading young talents in the world of GT racing. As for Marco Mapelli, a key figure at Lamborghini for nearly a decade, he brings his experience and a wealth of international successes, the most recent being the 2019 GT World Challenge Europe.

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The team could also announce a second commitment for 2026, having traditionally fielded two cars in recent seasons.  The season will begin on April 11th and 12th at the Paul Ricard circuit, the venue for the first round of the Endurance Cup. The calendar will then take the field to tracks including Brands Hatch, Monza, the Nürburgring, and the Barcelona Circuit, before culminating in the 4 Hours of Portimão at the Algarve International Circuit.