Grasser Racing Team (GRT) signalled a bold new chapter as it confirmed Mirko Bortolotti and Maximilian Paul for its DTM campaign with the Lamborghini Temerario GT3. The Austrian squad, backed by Lamborghini Squadra Corse, reunited with former DTM champion Bortolotti and welcomed back Paul, who had delivered the team’s first win in the series. Both drivers brought strong Lamborghini pedigree and prior success with GRT, forming a line-up that blended experience, momentum and clear title ambition ahead of the new season.
Grasser confident as GRT begins new chapter with Temerario GT3, Bortolotti and Paul
Team principal Gottfried Grasser expressed confidence as the squad prepared to transition from the long-serving Huracán GT3 to Lamborghini’s new Temerario GT3. He described the move as the start of a fresh chapter after more than a decade with the previous car and said early testing had delivered encouraging signs, even if further development work remained. Grasser underlined the value of continuity within the line up for thee 2026 DTM season, pointing to the established relationship between the GRT team, Bortolotti and Paul. With a cutting edge GT3 package at their disposal, he believed GRT had the foundations to deliver competitive results from the outset, despite 2026 shaping up to be a season of learning.
“We are proud to be embarking on a new era with Lamborghini this year. After more than a decade with our beloved Huracán GT3, we are looking forward to the Temerario GT3. We got a good first impression during the tests, but there are still several areas which can be improved on. With our line-up, we feel perfectly positioned for the upcoming learning year. Mirko [Bortolotti], Franck [Perera], and Max[imilian Paul] are three long-standing associates of GRT. Each of us knows the qualities of the others, and we all know what to expect from one another. With the Temerario GT3, Lamborghini has designed a state-of-the-art, latest-generation GT3 car, and we are confident that we will be able to achieve good results right from the start.”
High ambitions across DTM and GT World Challenge Europe
Grasser described both the DTM and the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup as defining standards in GT3 competition, and stressed that contesting both would accelerate the team’s understanding of the new Temerario GT3 in sprint and endurance trim. He expressed full confidence in his drivers to meet that challenge. Bortolotti, he noted, had played a central role in the shared achievements of Lamborghini and GRT, with the team fighting for the DTM crown from its first season and now targeting another title push. Paul, remembered as GRT’s first DTM race winner, was seen as a key part of that ambition, forming a strong partnership alongside the reigning champion.
“The DTM and the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup are two absolute benchmarks in GT3 racing. We will get to know the new car in both sprint and endurance racing in the toughest of competitions. With our drivers, we are up to the challenge in every aspect. Mirko [Bortolotti] is an integral part of the success story of Lamborghini and GRT. We fought for the title in the DTM right from the start and are ready for revenge.”
“Max[imilian Paul], as our team’s first DTM winner, is also an important part of this story. He will make a strong team with Mirko [Bortolotti] in the DTM. We have been close friends with all of our drivers for years, and that applies to Franck [Perera] as well. He also is a stalwart as both an athlete and a human and thus perfectly rounds out our team for the Endurance Cup.”
Bortolotti targets long-term gains with new Lamborghini challenger
Bortolotti said he was pleased to reunite with GRT as the team embarked on its first season with the Temerario GT3. Reflecting on the international success they had shared over the years, including their strongest DTM campaign to date, Bortolotti made clear the ambition to build on that foundation with GRT next to new teammate Paul. At the same time, he acknowledged that initial focus would centre on understanding and developing the new car before chasing outright results.
“I am delighted to be back with GRT and to be taking on the new challenge with the Temerario GT3 together. We have celebrated countless international successes together in the past and, with this combination, we also achieved the team’s best result to date in the DTM. We want to build on that, but we also know that for now the priorities will lie elsewhere with the new car.“
Paul embraces return to GRT alongside former DTM champion Bortolotti
Paul described the programme as a major opportunity, saying he valued the chance to compete in both the DTM and the GT World Challenge Europe with GRT. He regarded lining up alongside Bortolotti as an ideal scenario and admitted that returning to race a Lamborghini for the team carried special meaning, given their breakthrough DTM victory together. He also underlined how much he appreciated the faith shown in him by Grasser and his wider circle of supporters, crediting them for enabling his current position.
“I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to compete with GRT in the DTM and GT World Challenge Europe. Going into the season with this team alongside Mirko [Bortolotti] is the best possible scenario for me. Driving a Lamborghini from GRT again is something very special. We celebrated our first victory together in the DTM back then and have always maintained a close relationship. Gottfried’s [Grasser] trust means a lot to me, as does that of my other supporters, without whom I would not be in this fantastic position today.”
