Born in Aldeia Galega da Merceana, Alenquer, Portugal, Lamy began his motorsport career in karting. He transitioned to single-seaters, winning the Portuguese Formula Ford Championship in his debut year, 1989. Managed by Domingos Piedade, he moved to Formula Opel Lotus, winning the championship in 1991 after a second attempt.
Lamy’s progress continued in Germany, competing in Formula Three with Willi Weber’s team. He secured the 1992 championship, also winning the Marlboro Masters in Zandvoort and finishing second in the Macau Grand Prix. In 1993, Lamy raced for Crypton Engineering in Formula 3000, finishing second in the series – one point behind champion Olivier Panis – and achieving a win at Pau.
In 1993, Lamy received an opportunity in Formula One, replacing the injured Alessandro Zanardi in the final four races for the Lotus team. He signed with Lotus for a full season in 1994, but a serious crash during private testing at Silverstone) resulted in broken legs and wrists, sidelining him for over a year.
Lamy returned to racing with Minardi in the second half of the 1995 season, replacing Pierluigi Martini. He scored the team’s only point of the season at the Australian Grand Prix, despite a mid-race spin. He continued with Minardi in 1996, but a lack of development on the car led to the end of his Formula One career after 32 Grand Prix starts.
Following his Formula One stint, Lamy moved to the FIA GT Championship, winning the GT2 class in 1998 driving an Oreca Chrysler Viper GTS-R. He then competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the DTM for Mercedes, expressing dissatisfaction with his treatment within the team. Switching to Zakspeed, Lamy won the 24 Hours Nürburgring consecutively in 2001 and 2002, also claiming the V8Star Series crown in 2003. He secured another win at the 24 Hours Nürburgring driving for BMW Motorsport in 2004, and won the GTS class in the Le Mans Endurance Series with a Larbre Compétition Ferrari 550 Maranello.
In 2005, Lamy became an Aston Martin works driver, participating in the Sebring 12 Hours and Le Mans, as well as continuing with BMW at the Nürburgring, where he won again, and Larbre in the FIA GT Championship. He was announced as the driver for A1 Team Portugal in the 2005 A1 Grand Prix, but Álvaro Parente ultimately filled the main driver’s seat. Lamy continued with Aston Martin Racing, competing in the American Le Mans Series and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In 2007, he became a factory driver for Peugeot in the Le Mans Series, driving the 908 HDi FAP prototype, and won the LMP1 championship in the series’ first season.
Lamy won the 24 Hours Nürburgring for a fifth time in 2010 while driving for BMW Motorsport, tying Marcel Tiemann for the most wins at the race. In 2012, he participated in the FIA World Endurance Championship, driving a Larbre Competition Corvette C6.R in the GTE-Am class.
As of 2025, Lamy is a commissioner for the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile).
[unverified] A comprehensive study of Lamy's career in the DTM and GT racing belongs to the purview of specialist motorsport periodicals rather than this article’s scope.
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