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| Team Lazarus | |
|---|---|
| Name | Team Lazarus |
| Founded | 2009 |
| Base | Milan, Italy |
| Principal | Andrea Piccini |
| Drivers | See section |
| Series | FIA GT, International GT Open, GP2 Series, Auto GP |
Team Lazarus was an Italian motor racing team established in 2009 and active across multiple European and international championships. The team competed in series including FIA GT Championship, International GT Open, GP2 Series, and Auto GP Championship, collaborating with manufacturers, drivers, and sponsors from the Monza and Imola racing communities. Known for fielding sports cars and single-seaters, the team linked personnel from Ferrari Driver Academy, McLaren affiliates, and independent outfits such as Campos Racing and Trident Racing.
Team origins trace to partnerships among Italian motorsport figures and links to Adria International Raceway and the Circuito di Modena engine-building tradition. Early activities connected with the FIA GT Championship reshuffle following changes at Blancpain Endurance Series and intersected with teams like AF Corse, Vitaphone Racing Team, Kessel Racing, and Gulf Racing. The team’s pivot into single-seaters reflected trends led by GP2 Series expansion and the emergence of feeder series like GP3 Series and Formula Renault 3.5 Series. Engagements with circuits such as Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Silverstone Circuit, and Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya defined race calendars. Management exchanges influenced by figures from A1 Grand Prix, Superleague Formula, and World Series by Renault informed strategic entry decisions.
The roster included Italian and international drivers drawn from development programs including the Ferrari Driver Academy, Red Bull Junior Team, McLaren Young Driver Programme, Mercedes-AMG Junior Program and alumni from FIA Formula 2 Championship and Formula 3000. Notable names who collaborated or raced for the squad intersected with competitors and contemporaries such as Andrea Piccini, Emanuele Zonzini, Pascal Wehrlein, Jolyon Palmer, Romain Grosjean, Giedo van der Garde, Marcus Ericsson, Jules Bianchi, Esteban Gutiérrez, Sergio Pérez, Nico Hülkenberg, Kamui Kobayashi, Gianmaria Bruni, Michele Rugolo, Stefano Gai, Kevin Ceccon, Davide Rigon, Andrea Bertolini, Marco Bonanomi, Alessandro Pier Guidi, Oliver Turvey, Matteo Bobbi, Raffaele Giammaria, Francesco Castellacci, and Niccolò Schirò. Technical and managerial staff included engineers and strategists with backgrounds at Scuderia Ferrari, McLaren F1 Team, Mercedes-AMG Petronas, Renault Sport F1 Team, Williams Racing, Sauber, Toro Rosso, Lotus F1 Team, and HRT F1 Team.
The team entered endurance and sprint championships related to FIA GT Championship, International GT Open, FIA GT3 European Championship, FIA World Endurance Championship, and single-seater series like GP2 Series, Auto GP, GP3 Series, Formula Renault Eurocup, and World Series Formula V8 3.5. Event participation involved rounds at Le Mans 24 Hours-adjacent weekends, 12 Hours of Sebring-style endurance formats, and support races during Formula One Grand Prix weekends at Monaco Grand Prix, British Grand Prix, Belgian Grand Prix, and Italian Grand Prix circuits. The team also engaged in regional contests such as Blancpain Sprint Series and national series including Italian GT Championship.
The team campaigned GT chassis from manufacturers associated with Ferrari, McLaren, Aston Martin, Lamborghini, Porsche, BMW, and Audi Sport. Technical collaborations drew on suppliers and partners from Xtrac, Sadev, Magneti Marelli, Bosch Motorsport, HP Tuners, ZF Friedrichshafen, and O.Z. Racing. Engineering ties bridged workshops with Dallara Engineering, Sbarro, and specialists who serviced chassis homologations relevant to FIA GT3 and FIA GT1 regulations. Powertrain, aero, and tyre strategies involved interactions with Pirelli, Michelin Motorsport, and Hankook Motorsport, while telemetry and simulation work referenced tools used by Cosworth, Magneti Marelli, and SRO Motorsports Group standards.
Competitive highlights included podiums and class victories at rounds of the International GT Open and strong finishes in select GP2 Series and Auto GP events. The squad recorded notable performances at circuits like Monza, Spa-Francorchamps, Silverstone, Nürburgring, and Portimão, securing points that influenced championship standings against rivals from Prema Racing, Art Grand Prix, Rapax, Arden International, DAMS, iSport International, and Racing Engineering. Results occasionally featured pole positions, fastest laps, and endurance stints that tested driver lineups alongside teams such as United Autosports, AF Corse, RAM Racing, Kox Racing, WRT, and Barwell Motorsport.
Sponsorship relationships included Italian and international brands with connections to Pirelli, Shell, Eni, TotalEnergies, Castrol, SKF, Telecom Italia, TIM, Santander, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Rolex, Hublot, Sky Italia, and technology partners reflecting ties to Microsoft, Dell Technologies, and Siemens. Management and ownership structures aligned with motorsport entrepreneurs and executives experienced at Aston Martin Racing, Prodrive, Strakka Racing, RSR Racing, and consultancy groups active in FIA-sanctioned competition. Driver management intersected with agencies like All Road Management, Gavira Management, and talent programs associated with Ferrari and Red Bull.
The team contributed to talent development pathways connecting karting graduates to higher formulas influenced by CIK-FIA frameworks and feeder ladders leading to Formula One. Collaborations and technical exchanges influenced competitive practices among European GT entrants and single-seater operations, informing approaches used by outfits such as Prema Powerteam, MP Motorsport, Jenzer Motorsport, Lechner Racing, and BWT Alpine Academy. Its presence reinforced Italy’s motorsport infrastructure centered on Monza, Imola, and the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, and left traces in driver careers who progressed to championships including Formula 2, DTM, IMSA SportsCar Championship, and WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
Category:Italian auto racing teams