Vanwall plans changes to the Vandervell 680 and wants to return to the FIA World Endurance Championship for the 2025 season.
After being excluded from the 2024 vintage, the team of the English brand aims to be present in the next one with a completely renewed Hypercar, as Colin Kolles confirmed to Motorsport.com.
The Vandervell 680 will undergo a major update. The central element is the installation of the Pipo engine, which has been used by Glickenhaus in recent years; The 3.5-liter turbo V8 is intended to solve the performance issues the team had to deal with last season with the naturally aspirated 4.5-liter Gibson, as the V8 was unable to reach the required power curve reliably.
#4 Floyd Vanwall Racing Team Vanwall Vandervell 680: Esteban Guerrieri, Tristan Vautier, Ryan Briscoe
Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images
According to Kolles, up to 60 kilowatts were missing, i.e. a good 80 HP, while the Pipo engine was built for an LMH regulation in which the engine had to deliver up to 870 HP. This figure was then corrected downwards during the LMH-LMDh convergence. The engine is therefore oversized to reach the required maximum of 707 hp (520 kW) and not under potential like its predecessor.
Such a major intervention in the vehicle concept naturally entails far-reaching changes. The monocoque was retained, so Vanwall saved on new crash tests. But almost everything that can be changed about the rest of the vehicle has been changed.
This starts with the air intake and the cooling system, which must be equipped with an intercooler. The exhaust also has a different exit angle to the Gibson unit and this leads to several changes to the bodywork, which in turn affect the aerodynamics.
Additionally, Vanwall will optimize the aerodynamics of the bodywork itself to make the most of the specified performance window.
#4 Floyd Vanwall Racing Team Vanwall Vandervell 680: Esteban Guerrieri, Tristan Vautier, Ryan Briscoe
Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images
Debut initially scheduled for Qatar
The new engine is paired with a new gearbox, which now has seven gears instead of six. All this requires a complete reprogramming of the electronics and a reinstallation of the hardware components, for which the Cosworth ECU will be updated.
Another important innovation will be the introduction of a brake-by-wire system, intended to guarantee greater braking stability. Furthermore, brake discs and pads will be used with different specifications.
This, combined with changes to engine and transmission cooling, will also lead to adjustments to the brake cooling system.
The mechanics are also being revised: a new steering system is accompanied by new axle kinematics. However, this has less to do with the engine than with the experience gained in the 2023 WEC season.
At the end of the summer of 2023, after the failures that the engine suffered at Le Mans and Monza, the decision was made to change it with all its consequences. Originally, Vanwall wanted to be ready for the 1812 Km of Qatar, but due to its exclusion from the WEC 2024, the production of the aforementioned components, which entailed high costs, was interrupted.
#4 Floyd Vanwall Racing Team Vanwall Vandervell 680: Esteban Guerrieri, Tristan Vautier, João Paulo de Oliveira
Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images
Vanwall fielded only one vehicle in 2023, but according to what Motorsport.com already anticipated, it seems that the WEC wants to introduce a rule for 2025 which requires each manufacturer to field two cars. Kolles is very much in favor of this solution and would also be willing to bring two cars to the start.
Of course, the most difficult task will be to convince the selection committee to consider the team again. The WEC plans to increase the number of places to 40 by 2025.
However, if the two-car rule were to come into force, Aston Martin would already have to field two Hypercars rather than one as previously planned, while Lamborghini had announced well in advance the switch to two SC63s in 2025.
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