Once finished the Formula 1 experience, Giovanni Lavaggi - satisfied by having reached the top level of the racing car world during the 1995 and 1996 seasons - has begun a new challenge.
In 1998, he became an active member of a newly founded team, which has taken part in the Sport-Prototype Championship with a Ferrari 333 SP.
That way, the Sicilian driver has opened a new way: besides racing on the tracks all over the world, he was involved as the technical director of the team.
He was well prepared for doing so by his studies and former business experience. In fact, Giovanni Lavaggi is a mechanical engineer, promoted at the Politecnico di Milano, and he has worked as a management consultant from 1986 to 1991.
The team, being highly competitive just from the beginning, enjoyed the confidence of the Minardi F 1 team, starting a cooperation in order to train their young drivers for their F 1 debut.
In 1999, Giovanni Lavaggi claimed a first overall victory at Magny-Cours, together with his "Minardi" co-driver Gaston Mazzacane, who upgraded straight away into Formula 1 the year after. At his place another Argentinean new hope from the Minardi breed, Nicolas Filiberti, joined the team.
During 2000 season Giovanni took 2 pole positions while finishing on the podium 4 times with is team-mate Nicolas. In 2001, the highlight of the season was the victory in the thrilling 1.000 km of Monza against the toughest competitors.
Looking back into history, the development in the cars field has been given a substantial boost by a few pioneers, who, in those days, designed and built race cars with craftsmen spirit, drove their cars in races and eventually launched street versions based on their "rockets". Great honours and success were accumulated by men like Bruce McLaren or Jack Brabham, who have been able to unite the qualities of being a driver, a designer and an entrepreneur.
Since several decades, we have not witnessed to such exploits anymore. Giovanni Lavaggi, driven by the same spirit, passion and determination of his predecessors, is getting ready to show that it's still possible nowadays to go racing with a car designed and built by one's own.
Realizing his dream, he brings to life again the historic figure of the driver-constructor showing up on tracks with its "Lavaggi LS1". The car, a sports-prototype of LMP1 class, made its debut in the "Le Mans Series 2006" driven by its designer/constructor. Officially launched at the occasion of the "1.000 km Nuerburgring" in July the car contested the last race of 2006 in Jarama. The Lavaggi LS1 is the first sports-prototype designed and built at Monte-Carlo, therefore bearing with pride the white and red colours of the Principality of Monaco.
From 2006 to 2009 Giovanni Lavaggi, driving its own car, has taken part in 9 1000Km of Le Mans Series and in the 6h of Vallelunga 2008, where he obtained the pole position and the fastest lap in race.
At present the team is working on substantial modifications to update the car to 2011 LMS regulations