One of 1990s Formula 1’s lesser-remembered partnerships will be revived in endurance racing from 2024, with Lamborghini pairing up with Ligier for its new programme in the World Endurance Championship’s top class.
Leading GT racing constructor Lamborghini announced last month that it would go for outright honours in the Le Mans 24 Hours, WEC and IMSA SportsCar Championship for the first time with a car built to LMDh regulations.
Now it has revealed Ligier as its chassis and bodywork provider for the project.
Lamborghini motorsport chief Giorgio Sanna said: “As in Lamborghini Squadra Corse we have found in Magny-Cours [Ligier’s base] a team of young, competent and motivated people. We already feel as one team and we look forward for the next challenges in front of us.”
The Ligier name vanished from F1 in 1997 when the team was acquired and rebranded by Alain Prost.
What began life as the OAK Racing sportscar team bought the rights to use the Ligier name in the 2010s, and now operates as Ligier Automotive. Its current projects includes LMP3 chassis and its own one-make series.
Ligier used Lamborghinis for just one F1 season, in 1991, between the team’s time as a Ford customer and then a Renault partner.
Though the Ligier-Lamborghinis didn’t score any points that year, drivers Erik Comas and Thierry Boutson did achieve eight top-10 finishes in the era of only the top six scoring.
Lamborghini is part of an upcoming influx of manufacturers in the WEC, IMSA and Le Mans’ new era, with Peugeot, Ferrari, Porsche, BMW, Acura, Cadillac and Alpine all working on cars for one or both series.
The 2022 Le Mans takes place this weekend with Toyota still the only fully-fledged works team in the top class.
