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Lamborghini has announced a strategic pause in its SC63 LMDh prototype program within the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship for the 2026 season.
The move marks a notable shift in the Italian marque’s motorsport direction, as it pivots away from top-level endurance racing to concentrate on its GT3 and one-make racing efforts.
Realigning the racing strategy
At the core of this decision is what Lamborghini described as a “strategic realignment” of its motorsport priorities. Rather than continuing with the SC63 prototype effort, the brand is opting to dedicate its attention and resources toward the development of its next-generation GT3 platform and its popular Super Trofeo series.
This transition includes the development of the new Temerario GT3, which is scheduled for a 2026 customer launch. A corresponding Super Trofeo variant is expected to follow in 2027, reinforcing the manufacturer’s long-term commitment to customer racing and brand-specific championships.
Phil Oakley
Cost and complexity challenges
While Lamborghini’s ambitions with the SC63 were high, the financial and technical demands of the LMDh project quickly escalated beyond original expectations. Developed in collaboration with Ligier Automotive, the SC63 program faced rising costs and unforeseen challenges, particularly when compared to the resources available to larger manufacturers participating in the same category.
Rouven Mohr, Lamborghini’s chief technology officer, acknowledged that the company 'perhaps underestimated' the true scale of the LMDh effort. This miscalculation, combined with Lamborghini’s relatively small size in comparison to other LMDh or Hypercar competitors, played a central role in the decision to withdraw from the IMSA prototype grid beyond 2025.
WEC rules and strategic impact
The announcement follows Lamborghini’s earlier exit from the FIA World Endurance Championship, which introduced a new two-car requirement for Hypercar class entries starting in 2025.
This rule further complicated Lamborghini’s long-term LMDh aspirations, as the brand had not planned to field a second entry. While 2025 will still see limited IMSA participation with a single SC63 in select endurance events, the brand has opted not to continue beyond that.
Phil Oakley
Fallout after falling out with Iron Lynx
The situation around the SC63 programme was even further complicated by the fact that Lamborghini's original factory partner for the LMDh effort, Iron Lynx, pulled out after just one year.
There were multiple disagreements between both parties, with this culminating in Prema, Iron Lynx's parent company, suing Lamborghini. The team have accused the Italian manufacturer of stealing secret stealing wheel software setups.
The falling out between the two, and termination of the partnership, heavily impacted the programme as a whole for 2025. It resulted in Lamborghini having to scramble to find a new partner, only partnering with Riley at the last minute.
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What's next for the SC63 and Lamborgini?
The SC63 is still expected to compete in the final two endurance races of the 2025 IMSA calendar, Indianapolis and Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta. However, the long-term plan for the SC63 beyond that remains uncertain.
Before this announcement, Lamborghini had planned to update the car and then transition to a customer-first model. This would see customers racing the car, much like in GT3, rather than direct factory involvement. After a disappointing 2025 in the IMSA Endurance Cup, this plan seems to have been shelved, at least for now.
For now, Lamborghini’s motorsport future lies firmly in expanding and enhancing its GT3 customer racing footprint and continuing to build the global presence of the Super Trofeo one-make series. Though the SC63’s time at the top may be short-lived, the brand appears focused on recalibrating for more sustainable success on the racetrack.
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