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 ia a mechanical engineer, promoted at the Politecnico di Milano, and he has worked as a business consultant from 1986 to 1991.

The team, being highly competitive just from the beginning, enjoyed the confidence of the Minardi F 1 team, startiga cooperation to train their young drivers helping them to build up driving experience for their F 1 efforts. In 1999, Giovanni Lavaggi and his "Minardi" co-driver Gaston Mazzacane (who upgraded straight away into Formula 1 the year after) claimed a first overall victory at Magny-Cours, France, a 2nd place at Donington, UK (after dominating the race) and a 4th place overall in the 1999 team championship with 51 points.
For 2000, Giovanni Lavaggi teamed up with another Argentinian new hope from the Minardi breed: Nicolas Filiberti. The pairing took 2 pole positions (Barcelona and Kyalami) while finishing on the posium 4 times: 2 second places (Barcelona, Magny-Cours) and 2 third (Brno, Kyalami) Furthermore, the team and drivers were the best private finishers at the "1.000 KM Nürburgring".
2001, the highlight of the season was the victory in the thrilling 1.000 km Monza against toughest competition.

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 honors 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 more witnessed to such exploits. Giovanni Lavaggi, driven by the same spirit, passion and determination of his predecessors; in 2003 he got the challenge to show that it is still possible nowadays to go racing with a car designed and built by one's own. This way Giovanni Lavaggi starts his new challenge as a driver-constructor.

His dream become real at the end of 2006 when Giovanni Lavaggi brings to life again the historic figure of the driver-constructor racing at the final round of LMS with his LAVAGGI LS1, a sports prototype of the top class, LMP1, equipped with a Ford V8 engine. At the same time, this car 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. In 2007 the old style Ford V8 engine "stock block" did not return the hope results so it needed to be changed with a new motor: the biturbo V8 built by the English manufacturer AER. With this engine, during 2008 season, the LAVAGGI LS1 progressively improved its performances, until it got the pole position and the quickest lap in race at  6h of Vallelunga "Gold Cup", classic endurance end season race.

Giovanni Lavaggi:

"The idea to participate in races with a car designed and built by myself was always in me. Since I was a little boy, the high admiration which I always felt for the real big names in the automobile world, was making me dream that I could be able to emulate them one day. And who knows? May be the fact of being born on the 18th of February, exactly the same day as Enzo Ferrari’s, has influenced my destiny by an unknown astrological effect, and keeps my passion burning. I would like to thank my sponsors and all those who, for pure friendship and passion, help me to make this challenge successful."