“The Huracán is a durable race car,” emphasized Lee Chang-woo, a driver competing in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Series.
Despite the summer heat lingering well past the hottest days of the season, the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Series took place on the 18th at Inje Speedium in Gangwon-do. The Super Trofeo Series, organized by Lamborghini’s motorsport team Squadra Corse, is a one-make race held across three series on four continents, making its return after three years. This includes South Korea, heightening the excitement among motorsport fans.
The garage, filled with race cars, was buzzing with activity despite the scorching temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius. Among them, the #63 Huracán adorned with the Taegeukgi (the national flag of South Korea) caught the eye. This is the vehicle of Lamborghini SQDA Grid Motorsports’ representatives Lee Chang-woo and Kwon Hyung-jin.
Currently, Lee Chang-woo and Kwon Hyung-jin are leading in the AM class. Lee praised the Huracán race car, stating, “It’s a durable and fun car.” Their Huracán race car is a model adapted from vehicles sold to the public.
All the bodywork is made from carbon. Additionally, the front and side windows are crafted from acrylic rather than glass. The use of carbon fiber materials has significantly reduced the weight of the vehicle, which weighs only 1,285 kg.
“In actual competitions, even a 1 kg excess will result in disqualification,” emphasized Lee. This explains why every team is intensely focused on lightening their vehicle’s weight.
The Huracán’s powertrain features a 620 horsepower V10 naturally aspirated engine with rear-wheel drive. However, navigating the elevation changes at Inje Speedium Circuit can be challenging. Lee shared, “Inje has significant ups and downs,” indicating the difficulties faced during the drive. Due to the challenging environment of Inje, they cannot fully utilize the 620 horsepower output of the Huracán.
Moreover, braking also poses challenges. With steel brakes rather than carbon, a braking pressure of 170 bar is necessary for effective stopping distances. Lee explained, “Applying 170 bar of pressure requires putting your full weight into a seated position to stand up.”
Following Lee’s guidance, I had a brief look inside the vehicle. On the left side, a small monitor was installed. Lee explained, “This monitor gives real-time updates on incidents on the track during the race.” In the center, another monitor tracks driver change status. Lee elaborated, “This monitor shows the driver change time, which is typically 85 seconds. If you swap drivers early, you face a handicap compared to the regulation time.”
As the winds of the Super Trofeo Series swirl through Inje, motorsport fans in South Korea are watching closely to see if Lee Chang-woo and Kwon Hyung-jin can maintain their lead in the AM class.
Lee Sang-jin daedusj@autodiary.kr