Super Trofeo Stories: Inside the Young Driver Program with Enzo Geraci

Ever since it was founded in 2014, the Lamborghini Young Driver Program has enabled the next generation of GT racing talent to prove what it takes to be a professional, all under the guidance of a dedicated team of experts within the Sant’Agata Bolognese firm.

Running parallel to the one-make Super Trofeo category, the Young Driver Program is the ideal setup within the Lamborghini fold to identify, evaluate and, ultimate assess the most promising drivers under the age of 25 at the end of the season.

It’s one of the most demanding development programs in the motorsport world, with just eight of the best performers across the continental Super Trofeo series (Europe, North America and Asia) making the cut for a two-day winner-takes-all shootout in November.

Frenchman Enzo Geraci – who is dovetailing a dual Super Trofeo program this season, with Oregon Team in Europe and Ansa Motorsports in North America – came out on top in the 2024 shootout held at Jerez de la Frontera.

For 18-year-old Geraci, the impact of the YDP on his burgeoning career cannot be understated.

“It was a good experience for me, because it allowed me to develop many aspects of my driving,” said Geraci, who hails from Montpellier in the south of France.

“In the lower categories, you don’t have the opportunity to improve yourself as much as you do with a brand like Lamborghini, so for example, I was doing race reports, developing my analysis of every session I was in the car and that all allowed me to better prepare myself for the race weekends.

“I was also put through a lot physically because the tests are really demanding but it got me into a lot better shape too, which is a big bonus.”

In order to aid the progression for young drivers aiming to climb the ranks of GT and sportscar racing, the YDP offers an array of hands-on training such as media management and on-track instruction courtesy of the program’s partner Scuola Federale ACI.

Drivers who make the program intake are required to submit detailed race weekend reports and technical analysis with emphasis on performance progression, consistency and professionalism, both at and away from the track.

The shootout itself takes place over two days and tests the eight selected drivers in a variety of circumstances. Working even closer with the data engineers and mechanics, the drivers will also sample the Huracán GT3 EVO2 car, with every move assessed and examined by the expert judges.

“It was more exciting for me than stressful, I would say, because we had already done a week of racing and testing,” reflects Geraci after his Jerez shootout triumph.

“So, we basically knew the circuit by heart by this point so there was not much more to learn, but I had to deal with a lot of the pressure of the shootout. I just went into the car and gave it my all.”

The YDP shootout has been a staple of the Lamborghini calendar for many years now. Taking place immediately after the traditional season-ending Lamborghini World Finals, it is the highlight of the year for those keen to take the next step in their quest to become a professional contracted driver.

While the shootout itself represents a one-off chance to go on to receive official Lamborghini support for the following season, one of the key objectives of the program is progression.

Even those who fail to reach the final eight continue to benefit from the guidance and support from the factory which places a great emphasis on driver development to ensure they have the necessary tools to pursue a long career.

For Geraci, who started off in junior single seaters in his native France, the development and evolution of his own driving has been evident since joining the YDP.

“At first, I had a really smooth driving style, but then when I moved into GT cars, I started to become more aggressive and sharper with the steering wheel and this is something that really helps with the Super Trofeo cars,” he said.

“When I am in a battle with someone on track, I am quite a clean racer, I don’t touch a lot, so I would say that I am aggressive [when I need to be] but at the same time, smooth.

“Now that I am racing in both Europe and North America Super Trofeo, I have a lot more track time and adapt to more conditions. I can also see two different ways of working, the American style of working and the Italian style are quite different but doing it this way hopefully means I am much better prepared for the future.”

All the while, Geraci – like many of his YDP contemporaries – has one bigger picture in mind…

“To become a Lamborghini Factory Driver one day, that’s the goal I guess!”

The next generation of Lamborghini Young Driver Program members will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of Geraci when the 2025 intake is unveiled soon.

Make sure you follow the Lamborghini Squadra Corse socials to see who makes the cut.