Luca Engstler’s rise through the ranks of international motorsport and GT racing has been nothing short of remarkable. The 25-year-old German, son of touring car veteran Franz Engstler, has built a career on determination, and adaptability. Qualities that have carried him from grassroots karting to the top levels of GT racing. Along the way, he has collected titles across continents, learned the hard way in world championships, and most recently, claimed victories as a Lamborghini factory driver.
Early steps: Formula roots and touring car breakthrough
Like many aspiring professional drivers, Engstler began his career in karting, starting in 2009 and honing his craft until 2014. A move into single-seaters followed with two seasons in the ADAC Formula 4 Championship, but modest results prompted a re-evaluation. The turning point came in 2017, when he switched to ADAC TCR Germany with his family’s team. He quickly made an impact, claiming the junior title in his debut season.
The following years brought an avalanche of silverware. Engstler dominated the regional TCR scene, winning the TCR Asia Series in 2018 and 2019, as well as titles in the TCR Middle East and TCR Malaysia. In 2021, he added the ADAC TCR Germany crown and clinched the WTCR Rookie Championship, underlining his reputation as one of the brightest young talents in touring cars.
Conquering TCR across continents
Engstler’s touring car reputation was built on relentless consistency and a knack for adapting quickly to new challenges. He went back-to-back in TCR Asia in 2018 and 2019, added the TCR Malaysia title the same year, and collected multiple podiums in TCR Europe, including a controversial but hard-fought win at the Red Bull Ring. These results underlined his growing maturity behind the wheel and helped establish him as one of the most promising young drivers on the international touring car scene.
That reputation soon opened the door to the World Touring Car Cup (WTCR). After making his debut as a wildcard entry, Engstler stepped up to a full-time seat in 2020 with Hyundai Team Engstler. The competition was fierce, but he showed flashes of speed and resilience in one of the toughest touring car championships on the planet. His standout season came in 2021, when he clinched the WTCR Rookie Championship and finally secured the ADAC TCR Germany crown that had eluded him in previous years.
GT transition and endurance racing
By 2022, Engstler had begun shifting his focus more seriously toward GT racing, marking an important transition in his career. That year, he joined Rutronik Racing for a full campaign in the ADAC GT Masters, gaining valuable experience behind the wheel of the Audi R8 LMS Evo II and learning the nuances of endurance-style competition. The following season brought an even bigger step as he made the leap into the prestigious DTM with LIQUI MOLY Team Engstler.
Although it proved to be a challenging year in the fiercely competitive championship, Engstler still managed to underline his potential in GT3 racing. His standout achievement came away from the DTM paddock, with a hard-fought third-place finish at the 24 Hours of Spa alongside Kelvin van der Linde and Nicki Thiim, driving for Scherer Sport PHX in an Audi. The result on one of endurance racing’s most legendary stages signalled his ability to deliver on the international stage.
Reflecting on this shift in direction, Engstler was clear about his motivations. “Yeah, I think to start from the end, GT is right now one of the best platforms to race on a high level,” he explained. “I think all three of us are aiming to compete on the highest level. We are not there to look for the easiest championships.”
The Lamborghini era: Factory recognition
In 2024, Engstler made a decisive move to Grasser Racing Team (GRT) in the DTM, taking on the challenge of driving the Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo2. He adapted quickly, wasting no time in stamping his authority on the championship by scoring his first DTM victory at Oschersleben, followed by a string of podium finishes.
His momentum carried over to the endurance stage, where he partnered with Lamborghini stalwarts Mirko Bortolotti and Jordan Pepper to capture victory at the legendary CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa. For Engstler, the motivation was simple: compete at the highest level, no matter the discipline. “You want to be in the best championships and in the most competitive ones, and I think GT is one of it,” he explained. “It doesn’t matter whether it’s DTM or GT World or the Nürburgring.”
That mindset was shared by his teammates, each arriving at the same stage of their careers through different paths but united by the same ambition. “It’s always the goal to race on the highest level,” Engstler reflected. “We went through different routes, but now we are here, and the focus is on winning even more.”
Sprint cup success and future ambitions
Beyond endurance, Engstler has also been excelling in the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup, where he and his GRT teammates have established themselves as consistent Pro class frontrunners. A memorable nighttime victory at Magny-Cours showcased both speed and composure, while back-to-back podium finishes at Zandvoort underlined their ability to fight at the sharp end of the grid. Combined with a string of strong points-scoring results, this consistent pace has pushed Engstler firmly into the top five of the standings and reinforced his reputation as one of Lamborghini’s rising GT stars.
By contrast, his 2025 DTM season has proven more challenging. Despite flashes of raw speed and a handful of promising qualifying runs, the campaign has so far yielded no podium finishes, making it a tougher fight compared to his Sprint Cup exploits. Still, the bigger picture is clear: Engstler is firmly embedded in Lamborghini’s international racing programme and determined to carve out his place on endurance and sprint racing’s greatest stages.
He remains focused on the long-term opportunities ahead. “Hopefully, some big races like Nürburgring,” he reflected. “Obviously Mirko [Bortolotti] won DTM, I think it’s a big goal for us two here on the other side. So still a lot of work to do, but happy to be here.”
A career in motion
From his early days in karting to titles in touring cars and recognition as WTCR rookie of the year, Luca Engstler has built a career on gradual progression through increasingly competitive categories. Engstler’s move into GT racing has already yielded significant results, including a class victory at the 24 Hours of Spa.
Today, he divides his time between the GT World Challenge Sprint and Endurance Cup, endurance races, and DTM — a mix that underlines both his versatility and the demands of modern professional racing. With the resources of Lamborghini behind him, Engstler is well positioned for the next stages of a career that continues to expand across international motorsport.
