Consisting of three drivers – Jordan Sherratt, Gianfranco Giglioli and Giorgio Simonini – the Automobili Lamborghini Esports Team will focus initially on the SRO-organised GT World Challenge Esports Championships using Assetto Corsa Competizione.
Sherratt dominated the EMEA region of last season’s The Real Race competition, but before his virtual career finished fifth in the 2017 United States Formula 4 championship.
“To become the official driver, that’s pretty much my goal. I’ve always worked towards that, even in the real world. Trying to get that in the virtual world is something, maybe it could bring something in motorsport,” explained the South African driver to Traxion.GG in December.
Giglioli meanwhile finished fifth in the 2020 edition of The Real Race and Simonini won the Sim Grid World Cup in 2020.
The team will compete in the five-round GT World Challenge Esports Sprint Series Europe and Intercontinental GT Challenge Esports Endurance Championship. Sherratt and Giglioli will compete in the Sprint series, finishing 11th and 15th in the first round recently, and they will be joined by Simonini for the five endurance races.
“After several decades of development in the industry, simulated racing is getting closer and closer to its real-life counterpart and now has nothing to envy from professional motorsport,” highlighted Giorgio Sanna, Automobili Lamborghini’s Head of Motorsport.
“Sim racing is an additional tool for us to develop some of the fundamental aspects of real racing, such as car set-ups and software applications that will play an important role in the future of our brand.”
The third edition of Lamborghini’s The Real Race competition will follow later this year, with details to be announced.