Lamborghini on Wednesday announced its first factory-backed esports team, with three drivers that will compete in sim races.
Those drivers are Jordan Sheratt, Gianfranco Giglioli, and Giorgio Simonini, Lamborghini announced in a press release. All three bring significant sim-racing experience to the table.
South African-born Sheratt, 23, dominated the last season of "The Real Race," Lamborghini's one-make virtual racing series. He won 15 of 17 races and took nine of 10 pole positions.
Giglioli, a 24-year-old Venezuelan, placed eighth in the inaugural season of the Formula One Esports Series, fifth in "The Real Race's" inaugural season in 2020, and and won the Porsche Esports Carrera Cup Italia that same year.
Hailing from Italy, 22-year-old Simonini won the Sim Grid World Cup 2020 and placed fourth in the SRO Esports championship that year.
Sherratt and Giglioli will compete in the GT World Challenge Esports Sprint Series Europe; Simonini will join them for the 2022 Intercontinental GT Challenge Esports Endurance Championship, Lamborghini said.
2022 Lamborghini esports drivers (l to r): Jordan Sherratt, Giorgio Simonini, Gianfranco Giglioli
The Sprint Series includes five races and starts April 6 with a virtual race of Italy's Misano circuit. The last race is scheduled for August 3 on a digital version of Monza. The Intercontinental GT Challenge series starts April 16 with the 12 hours of Bathurst, a virtual version of the legendary Australian endurance race. The calendar also includes five races, wrapping up August 27 with the 9 Hours of Kyalami.
The three drivers will be supported by the same Squadra Corse division that runs Lamborghini's real-world racing programs (and builds the occasional track car), the automaker noted, complete with a dedicated team principal, driver coach, and engineers.