Mirko Bortolotti : "Focus on ourselves and learn as fast as possible as we go through the week"

At 32 years old, Mirko Bortolotti is discovering the 24 Hours of Le Mans this year. The official Lamborghini Squadra Corse driver is driving the third Oreca 07 entered by WRT, together with Dries Vanthoor and Rolf Ineichen. Although two of the three drivers are new to the LMP2 class, this green LMP2 should not be ruled out for the top positions. The Italian driver has been part of the Lamborghini programme since the Italian brand's GT3 debut in 2015. The former F2 champion, who has been a close friend of Formula 1, completed 16 laps in the Oreca 07 last Sunday with a 3:36.292 as the fastest lap. For him, this Test Day was a marker.

"I really like driving a prototype," Mirko Bortolotti told Endurance-Info. "In the past I have driven a lot of single-seaters, so I am back to a driving style that I know. The difference is that the cockpit is closed in LMP2. It's great to be here for the first time and to have the chance to race in LMP2 with the WRT team. It's a dream race for any driver, so the first goal is to enjoy it. Of course we have ambitions too, but we also have to be realistic. We have to focus on ourselves and learn as fast as we can throughout the week."

Before heading to Le Mans, Mirko Bortolotti and his team-mates drove at Portimao and Motorland Aragon. "Our test programme was good," he said. "However, I don't think we are 100% prepared for a race like the 24 Hours of Le Mans. I have to say a big thank you to WRT for this opportunity.

For the Lamborghini Squadra Corse driver, Le Mans is a total discovery: "I have always watched this race but I had always said that the first time I would be in Le Mans, it would be as a driver and not as a spectator. I know that the level in LMP2 is very high, both in terms of teams and drivers. We will concentrate on our race. I know the circuit because I have driven in a simulator. WRT showed great things at Le Mans last year on its debut. I know the team because I drove there in GT3 two years ago."

In addition to the GT World Challenge Europe (Endurance) at Emil Frey Racing, Mirko Bortolotti drives in the DTM in a Lamborghini Huracan GT3 entered by Grasser Racing Team. With the single-driver DTM on a sprint course, this is the opposite of a race like Le Mans. "The start of the DTM season is going quite well," says Bortolotti. "We mustn't forget that the team is starting in a series that is very competitive. Everyone still needs to learn. Here, the team works for you, there are no compromises. The championship has a great marketing side and a great history. It's a real pleasure for me to be able to fight for the title."

Next month, Mirko Bortolotti will tackle another great endurance race, the 24 Hours of Spa: "Spa is also a special race. So far, we can't say that it has been positive for us. In the past, Lamborghini has had several opportunities to win. In 2017, without a technical problem, we could have fought for victory. That was our biggest chance. At Spa, a lot can happen, so everything has to be perfect. The potential is there, but there has always been a grain of sand to stop the machine. If one little thing breaks the chain, it's over."

In 2024, the Italian brand will be taking part in the premier class of endurance racing with a Hypercar LMDh prototype, which is something the official driver is delighted about: "It's something special for me to see Lamborghini in the LMDh. It reminds me of the very first day of the GT3 programme. Lamborghini is a smaller brand than the others, but for them nothing is impossible. I dream of this programme but all the cards are not in my hands."