Lamborghini on Tuesday released a teaser of its new LMDh (Le Mans Daytona hybrid) race car. While the first LMDh cars are scheduled to enter competition in 2023, Lamborghini doesn't plan to hit the track until 2024.
LMDh and its companion LMH category were created to unite the top class in global sports car racing. They allow manufacturers to compete in the IMSA SportsCar Championship's premier GTP class and in the FIA World Endurance Championship's premier Hypercar class, using the same car, with Balance of Performance rules to ensure an even playing field. WEC also means racing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Lamborghini, which has been mulling an LMDh entry for the past few months, plans to compete in both the WEC and IMSA series, including Le Mans, the 24 Hours of Daytona, and the 12 Hours of Sebring, the automaker said in a press release.
Lamborghini doesn't have a long racing history, but it's been building up a factory program under the Squadra Corse banner in production-based GT classes, scoring three GTD-class wins in a row at Daytona between 2018 and 2020 with the Huracan. The LMDh car will be Lamborghini's first factory prototype sports racer, and will be run alongside the GT programs and Super Trofeo one-make series.
One thing that attracted Lamborghini to LMDh is the requirement of hybrid powertrains, which aligns with the automaker's road cars plans. Lamborghini claims to have built its last non-hybrid road car; all production models will now have some degree of electrification.
Several other manufacturers, including BMW, Cadillac, and Porsche, are also committed to LMDh. Most plan to debut their cars in 2023.
Other manufacturers have opted for LMH. Among the biggest names are Audi, Ferrari and Toyota. In the case of Ferrari, it means a return to the top category at Le Mans for the first time since 1973.