Lamborghini works driver Mirko Bortolotti leads the Grasser quartet in the DTM in 2022: The team boss analyses where the strengths of his long-serving driver lie
The Austrian Grasser team will enter the DTM in 2022 with no less than four Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo. The 32-year-old Italian Mirko Bortolotti is the clear leader of the quartet, as the Lamborghini works driver is considered one of the best GT3 drivers around. And should be set for victories and – if possible – the title.
But what are the strengths of the Vienna-based driver, who has been competing for the Grasser squad in the ADAC GT Masters and other races since 2015?
“The more pressure, the stronger he gets”. “That’s quite rare. And that’s where he’s a nose ahead of many. That’s certainly his biggest strength, that he can really deliver when it’s all on the line. “
“A real fighter without end “
But that’s not all, as Grasser – a former racing driver himself – explains: “He’s a real fighter – without end. He makes very few to no mistakes. His head is extremely into it. Those are the points and qualities that make an uber-talented driver extremely good.”
Bortolotti also proved these qualities in the ADAC GT Masters in 2021: his performance on the Hockenheim Saturday was impressive. There, he put the Lamborghini on pole and then laid the foundations for victory in the race, which team-mate Marco Mapelli then drove home.
Grasser and Mirko Bortolotti: More successes in the DTM?
“In my opinion, he is definitely one of the best drivers in GT racing. There are really very few who come close to him. And he has a lot of experience with this car. He is certainly one of the best in this car, definitely. The successes we’ve had are all connected to him,” Grasser praises him.
The list of successes of the Grasser-Bortolotti duo is indeed very long: together they won in the GTD class at the 24h Daytona 2018 and 2019, as well as at the 12h Sebring 2019. In addition, Bortolotti and Grasser won in the Blancpain GT Series in 2017 (Endurance Cup and overall) and were runners-up in the ADAC GT Masters in 2019.
Does Grasser trust Bortolotti to win the title in his very first year?
Grasser also expects top finishes in the DTM: “We’ll certainly manage a win or two, but it’s difficult to say whether we’ll be able to clinch the title. That would be very far ahead for such a tough racing series, if you assume that it will work out right from the start. But he will definitely set one or two stars.”
Bortolotti has already gained experience in the DTM. In 2021, he completed a guest start at the TT Circuit in Assen in the Lamborghini of T3 Motorsport. Bortolotti knew how to impress: In the two qualifying sessions he finished third and sixth, and in the two races he finished second and seventh.
After that, Bortolotti was not averse to a change of series. Now a dream is coming true for the former Red Bull junior, who, in addition to Formula 1 tests, also completed a DTM test for Audi about ten years ago.