DTM champion Mirko Bortolotti has conceded he will be "sad" when the "special" Lamborghini Huracan GT3 bows out of active service and is replaced by the new Temerario model for 2026.
Aside from 2020, when he had a short stint at sister brand Audi before returning to Lamborghini, Bortolotti has been a fixture aboard the car which is now on its second Evo upgrade cycle since its debut in 2015.
The 34-year-old, one of its original development drivers, claimed his maiden DTM title this year in the Huracan, his latest accolade with the car that includes winning the 2017 Blancpain Endurance Series title and taking back-to-back GTD class wins at the Daytona 24 Hours in 2018-19.
Speaking to Autosport, Bortolotti admitted that he will miss the 5.2-litre normally aspirated V10-powered Huracan GT3 EVO2 after its lengthy tenure, with GT3 cars recently turning towards turbocharged engines.
"Now there's nothing left that we need to prove with this car," reflected the Italian, who saw off Abt Audi driver Kelvin van der Linde to be crowned DTM champion after finishing runner-up to Porsche's Thomas Preining in 2023.
"I'm really proud of the work that's been done on the Huracan in 2014, the start of development together with Audi back in the days.
"It's for me a really special car that changed my career; it gave me a complete new vision of motorsport, a complete new future coming into this programme and it's a really special car to me, so it's sad on one hand to see her go at the end of next season.
"Also it's so characteristic, the V10 aspirated and stuff. I will definitely miss it."
As announced earlier this year, the GT3 iteration of the Temerario will begin testing next year before making its race bow in 2026.
The road model is powered by a twin-turbo V8 engine, and Bortolotti anticipates that "not many elements that can be comparable to the current Huracan".
Asked what he wanted to see from the Temerario, Bortolotti said "it's still too early for me to give you an answer on what we are focusing on".
Bortolotti also spent 2024 racing in the Hypercar class of the World Endurance Championship with Lamborghini's new SC63 LMDh prototype, but it was announced last week that the Italian brand will not return to the WEC next year, although it plans to continue with the SC63 in the IMSA SportsCar Championship.
Uncertainty also surrounds the future of the SSR Performance team Bortolotti has raced with for the past two seasons in the DTM.
Asked about his hopes of defending his title in 2025, Bortolotti said "there are many topics on the table that are in favour of DTM" but maintained it was too early to make a firm commitment.
"If there is a chance and the interest of having me back, trying to defend it, of course, I'm more than keen to do it, because DTM is a really special championship," he said.
"If there is a chance to be back fighting for it again, I would definitely not say no. But at the moment, I cannot give an answer on that."
