Reigning GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup drivers’ champion Patric Niederhauser has joined Lamborghini Squadra Corse as a factory driver for 2026.
The 34-year-old, who was formerly a member of Lamborghini’s Junior Programme, is moving on from two seasons spent contracted to Porsche, whom he was confirmed to be leaving at last month’s Night of Champions event.
Niederhauser started his racing career on the single-seater ladder before making the switch to GT machinery in 2015 with an assault on Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe. The Swiss racer’s breakthrough came at the season-ending World Final at Sebring International Raceway, where he scored both pole positions and won the second encounter.
This drive helped secure Niederhauser a place on Lamborghini’s Junior roster, and during the next four seasons, he would take on series including ADAC GT Masters, GT World Challenge Europe and GT World Challenge Asia in a mix of Lamborghini and Audi machinery.
It was with the latter marque that Niederhauser would make the step up to full-factory status in 2020, with him going on to spend four years with Audi Sport before joining Porsche ahead of 2024.
Niederhauser’s time with Porsche has centred around GT World Challenge Europe, with the 34-year-old and Sven Müller claiming the German marque’s maiden Sprint Cup race win in 2024, before the pair won the overall Endurance Cup drivers’ title and finished second at the 24 Hours of Spa alongside Alessio Picariello this season.
“After my first steps in GT racing where I raced in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo, I got the chance to make my GT3 debut as a Lamborghini Junior Driver the year after which was exactly ten years ago,” Niederhauser said.
“Since then, I raced for different brands throughout my career but now, this feels like a homecoming. I’m utterly proud to represent such an amazing brand and I am very much looking forward to a bright future. To be racing for Automobili Lamborghini as an official factory driver is a dream come true.”
Niederhauser is the only confirmed newcomer to Lamborghini’s factory stable for 2026, as part of what is currently an 11-driver roster as the Raging Bull prepares to launch its new Temerario GT3.
The 4-litre twin-turbo V8-powered machine is set to debut at March’s 12 Hours of Sebring, with an IMSA Sportscar Championship programme with Pfaff Motorsports and a GT World Challenge Europe assault with Rutronik Racing, currently announced for the car’s ‘soft-launch’ opening season.
No race programme has been announced for Niederhauser at this point, although Rutronik, notably, is a team with which the 34-year-old has raced with during five of his past seven seasons, including for his recent GT World Challenge Europe success.
Rouven Mohr, Chief Technical Officer, Automobili Lamborghini, commented: “We are delighted to welcome Patric to the Lamborghini Squadra Corse family and we are looking forward to working together. It is a full circle moment for Patric in a way as he started his GT journey with us racing in our one-make Super Trofeo championship back in 2015.
“His record in the years since then have confirmed his ability and talent and the fact that we will have two of the defending Spa 24 Hours winners and the reigning GTWC Endurance Cup champion among our factory driver roster stands as testament to the quality we have heading into the new season.”
Images courtesy of Lamborghini Squadra Corse
