Lamborghini appoints BMW LMDh manager Leschiutta as new motorsport boss

Lamborghini has recruited Maurizio Leschiutta from BMW where he headed up the M Hybrid V8 LMDh programme to become its new motorsport boss.

Leschiutta has taken over as head of motorsport to oversee the Italian manufacturer’s LMDh prototype, GT3 and one-make sportscar programmes at the Italian manufacturer’s in-house Squadra Corse competitions department.

The Italo-Canadian moves into the role at Lamborghini 10 months after his predecessor, Giorgio Sanna, was relieved of his duties last March.

He will report directly to chief technology officer Rouven Mohr, who had been acting motorsport chief in the interim.

Leschiutta described his new role as a “great pleasure” and “an important milestone”.

“I hope I can contribute a small paragraph in one of the many pages of its history books, and I am confident that, together, we shall rise to the challenges in the years to come,” he said.

Mohr added: “We are delighted to welcome Maurizio Leschiutta to the Lamborghini family heading into the new season – he is someone who has an incredible wealth of expertise and knowledge in motorsport.”

Leschiutta’s career has included an 11-year stint at the Ferrari Formula 1 team in its engine department, during which time he worked as a support engineer for drivers such as Gerhard Berger, Jean Alesi and Eddie Irvine.

He switched over to sister marque Maserati in 2003 to work on the Ferrari-based V12 engine that powered the ultra-successful MC12 GT1 contender, subsequently moving into race operations on the programme.

He was technical director of the WRT team’s DTM assault with Audi in 2019 before joining BMW M Motorsport as chief engineer of its programme in the German-based touring car series and then taking project leadership of the M Hybrid V8 in 2021.

The arrival of Leschiutta at Squadra Corse coincides with a downscaling of the SC63 LMDh programme, which last year incorporated one car in the World Endurance Championship and one in four of the IMSA SportsCar Championship’s long-distance events.

Lamborghini has withdrawn from the WEC for 2025 and has a GTP class entry for a single car in the five rounds of the IMSA Endurance Cup.

It cited a lack of resources to run in both championships after the WEC decreed in June that manufacturers competing in the Hypercar class must field two cars.

The announcement of Leschiutta stated that Lamborghini “will enter its SC63 as a Squadra Corse entrant for the first time”.

This is confirmation of a complete split with the Iron Lynx team that fielded the Lambo LMDh in WEC and IMSA last year, as well as running the Hurcan GT3 EVO2 in both series.

Lamborghini has yet to reveal the structure behind an entry that will be listed as Automobili Lamborghini Squadra Corse.

It has so far only confirmed that the car will be driven at the Daytona 24 Hours season-opener on 25/26 January by Romain Grosjean, Daniil Kvyat, Mirko Bortolotti and Edoardo Mortara, who were all part of its LMDh squad in 2024.

The first tests of a new GT3 contender developed from the Temerario road car launched last summer are scheduled for this year ahead of its release to customers in 2026.

It is being developed in conjunction with Podium Advanced Technologies rather than Dallara Automobili like the Huracan.

The Super Trofeo one-make version of the car is due to come on stream in 2027.