Lamborghini continues to search the IMSA paddock for a partner team to lead a factory-affiliated GT effort.

RACER has spoken with multiple sources that point to the Italian brand’s interest in a two-pronged approach where an initial foray into GT Daytona would escalate to a GT Le Mans effort the following year. Compared to a full-blown factory program akin to most that are found in GTLM, it’s believed Lamborghini’s offerings involve cars and a modest budget; the partner team would need to supply most of the operating capital.

Based on feedback, it’s also believed the partner team would be required to fund a complete Le Mans trip for the IMSA program to compete at the great 24-hour endurance race. Speaking with RACER at Monterey, Maurizio Reggiani, Lamborghini’s R&D director, was hesitant to answer direct questions on the status of the proposed GTD-to-GTLM campaign.

“We are a company that uses our customer teams like ambassadors and give support from Automobili Lamborghini, from Squadra Corse, but it’s mainly support with drivers from the company and discount on parts,” Reggiani told RACER as he described the company’s current involvement in IMSA’s GTD class.

“But we don’t really have a factory Lamborghini [GTD] car, because we believe this is not correct to beat your customers.”

Ongoing talks with teams, which were held during last weekend’s WeatherTech SportsCar Championship event at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, are expected to continue in the weeks ahead.

Although Lamborghini’s interest in a GTLM program is far from new, Reggiani lightly discussed the desire to have more control over a GTD campaign that would allow the company to win a championship before moving up to take on BMW, Corvette, Ferrari, Ford and Porsche in GTLM.

“We look in this [GTLM] category to scout what can be for the future, and internally, we decide to work for the future, to work on simulation,” he said. “[In GTD], we won races, but not like ‘we have won something’ (a title). First of all, we need to consolidate our presence with customer teams in one championship. Our cars have good reliability, good success, but we are missing one achievement.

“First, we need to achieve something [in GTD]; it is too easy to leave something before you achieve winning a championship, so we cannot way we want to enter [GTLM]. This moment, you can do pre-development, but it is difficult to say we attack. If we do [GTLM], it’s clear we need customer teams.”

At present, Change Racing and Paul Miller Racing represent Lamborghini as customer teams on a full-time basis in GTD, and four additional teams have competed in limited efforts. IMSA entrants from every WeatherTech Championship class are said to have explored the future GT deal with Lamborghini.