In its seminal fiftieth year, the growing dimension to Lamborghini’s engagement in motorsport will enjoy another notable contribution as arguably the foremost Formula One designer – Adrian Newey – returns to the cockpit of a Lamborghini Gallardo to race among the squadrons of Super Trofeo contenders at Silverstone this weekend as part of the Blancpain Endurance Series bill at the Northamptonshire circuit.
Newey will piloting the #1 VIP car amid a highly competitive grid split neatly between the established PRO-AM experience of series leader Cédric Leimer, Adrian Zaugg and Andrea Amici, who among others, were dominant in Monza and a rising crop of young amateur talent including Andrea Solimè, who stole a march on their senior rivals in the series’ first night race at Misano three weeks ago.
The young drivers will be joined by another 17 year old in Northampton to supplement the contribution of Italian racer, Alessandra Brena. She will be joined by Fabian Hamprecht, who will race in a Leipert-prepared Gallado for Automobili Lamborghini Racing Germany alongside one of five British drivers, Rupert Svendsen-Cook.
After the weekend in Misano, Composit Motorsport and Autocarrozzeria Imperiale have been working hard to rebuild no less than four cars damaged in various accidents, but both teams will make the grid in Silverstone with a full compliment of cars.
Adrian Newey Returns
Infiniti Red Bull Racing’s CTO, Adrian Newey OBE returns the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo for a second year as the guest driver of the #1 VIP car alongside Alberto Sabbatini, Editor-in-Chief of Italian magazine, Autosprint. Adrian acknowledges that he became captivated by Lamborghini at the tender age of ten after a visit to his local cinema where he witnessed the Roger Beckermann character in the opening scenes of The Italian Job driving a distinctive orange Miura above Aosta in the Italian Alps to the soundtrack of Matt Munro before meeting his untimely screen-death in the Grand St Bernard tunnel.
Thus last year’s opportunity to compete in two races in a Lamborghini Gallardo fulfilled a long-held childhood dream, so much so that he returns in 2013 to the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo with racing partner and Italian motorsport journalist, Alberto Sabbatini. Alberto is no stranger to the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo, having raced twice previously and scored three podiums in Monza in 2011; Adrian, 54, is a keen and capable amateur race driver, having competed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and in 2010, he drove his own Red Bull Racing RB5 Formula One race car, a gift from the team, at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
The Englishman – winner of eight Formula One world championships – and the Italian might well be hoping for better conditions that the atrocious British summer weather of last June that saw both their races declared wet and saw them finish in 11th and 15th place respectively.
Source : Lamborghini