There’s a certain point in a racing career where doing something different starts to matter more than doing the same thing better. For Gerard Lopez, that shift has led him away from the polished world of circuit racing and into something far less predictable: Trophy Truck desert racing. After decades spent around Formula 1, endurance racing, and historic racing, Lopez is now stepping into the Unlimited Class with a Brenthel Gen 3.5 Trophy Truck, trading smooth, controlled tarmac for open desert chaos.
Trophy Truck racing sits at the top of off-road motorsport, where speed is only part of the equation. The trucks themselves, high-horsepower, long-travel suspension machines, are built to absorb terrain that would destroy most race cars instantly. For Lopez, the appeal seems to come from the challenge. After years of chasing tenths on circuits, the idea of navigating unpredictable terrain at speed offers something entirely different.
His background spans team ownership in Formula 1 to success in endurance racing across Europe and the United States. Through his Iconic Racing program, he’s been involved with everything from GT3 cars to historic prototypes, securing wins at Daytona and Sebring along the way. That history does bring a certain understanding, just applied in a completely different environment. As he’s put it, the transition feels more like moving from two-dimensional racing into something three-dimensional.
The truck itself, a Brenthel Gen 3.5, is about as serious as it gets in this category, known for its durability and capability across extreme conditions. Lopez’s 2026 program is expected to be a limited schedule of events, focusing more on learning rather than results. There’s already talk of expanding into a two-truck operation if things click, but for now, it’s about getting seat time and understanding what makes this corner of motorsport so demanding.
