Mirko Bortolotti has described Lamborghini’s long-awaited breakthrough victory at the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa as an “elusive” success that only truly felt real when the chequered flag dropped.
The Italian, alongside teammates Jordan Pepper and Luca Engstler, delivered the GRT Grasser Racing Team and Lamborghini their first-ever win in the Ardennes classic, marking a milestone in both the manufacturer’s and the team’s history. The No. 63 Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2 overcame a tense strategic duel with Rutronik Racing’s Porsche, sealing the triumph by just 8.7 seconds after 24 hours of relentless racing.
“The tension was up 100% until the very end.”
Speaking exclusively to Pit Debrief, Bortolotti admitted there was no point during the gruelling race where he felt victory was secured.
“Well, difficult to answer, to be honest. I think you always start the race with the aim of winning it and no matter how the race goes, you really never believe you can win it until the chequered flag. It’s really an elusive race and obviously for the guys that have been there for many times doing it, trying it, it gets more and more elusive,” he said.
“So you start to turn your expectations down more and more and just focus on the race. I think from my side, there was not a specific moment where I thought we have this in the pocket now. So the tension and the concentration and everything was up 100% until the very end.”
The race underlined just how unpredictable Spa can be. A puncture for the Rutronik Porsche and a minor stall for Bortolotti at the final stop added layers of drama before the Lamborghini finally pulled away in the last half-hour.
Coming full circle with Grasser
For Bortolotti, the victory was made even more meaningful by his reunion with Grasser Racing Team, a squad with which he shares deep ties. He first joined GRT at the launch of the Huracán GT3 project, playing a pivotal role in its early development and successes.
“Obviously, for me, having been part of the team since the very beginning of the project, the Huracán GT3 project, was something unique. We’ve been through many Spa 24s. The fact that we just build step-by-step what we can see now on a regular basis, is something that makes me really proud,” he reflected.
“The fact that, obviously, the last few seasons I wasn’t there with Gottfried‘s [Grasser] team is not a decision that came from me, but that was taken by the manufacturer. For me, personally, obviously, being in this team has always been more than just a team boss for me. There’s a really good friendship going on, but obviously, when we are down here at the track, we do our business and friendship is not something that makes a difference. We’re here for the job, we’re here for the business, but at the end of the day, also, it’s nice to be in a good environment, to know the people around you.”
The power of teamwork
Bortolotti was quick to underline that this victory was a product of perfect synergy between himself, Pepper, Engstler and the Grasser crew.
“It’s always a great pleasure to be here and definitely, as they said, as Jordan [Pepper] and Luca [Engstler] said, I think we work together really well, the three of us as a lineup. Otherwise, you will never be able to win such a race and to be successful consistently. This is something that, obviously, also from my side, I hope we can build on for the future as well.”
A defining moment
For Lamborghini, the result ended years of near-misses at Spa, finally adding the marquee event to its list of GT racing triumphs. For Bortolotti, already a DTM champion and long-time stalwart of the Lamborghini family, it was a defining moment in his career – one that blended his personal journey with the brand’s own pursuit of endurance racing glory.
And true to his word, it was a race that demanded full focus until the very last lap.
