Vanwall, also known as ByKolles, are looking to enter the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2027, Only Endurance can exclusively reveal.
Yesterday we revealed the team, plus Isotta Fraschini, had plans to enter the Asian Le Mans Series for the 2026-27 season, when Hypercars are added to the championship.
However, team boss Colin Kolles told us this would likely be with the old Gibson-powered car. The plan to race in WEC in 2027 would be with a brand new car.
'We have two cars. We have one, the old car which you know, with the Gibson engine,' he said.
'And we have a car with the Pipo engine. Which is a new car. It has fundamental differences. It's a totally different car.
'It's basically a renewed big evolution of the old car. The look is different. The aero is different. The suspension is different. The gearbox is different. The engine is different. The cooling system is different. Everything is different.
'So it's basically a new car. In terms of homologation you have the jokers. This will be a new homologation, because otherwise, it doesn't work,' said the Vanwall team boss.
However, with long lead times and testing, plus getting the car homologated, Vanwall would face a challenge to race the new Pipo-powered car in the Asian Le Mans Series.
So, instead, the plan is to race the old car, the Vandervell 680, in the Asian Le Mans Series. The new car, then, Kolles is planning to race in the WEC in 2027.
Phil Oakley
Whereas the plan for the Asian Le Mans Series is to run under the ByKolles banner — which Kolles confirmed to Only Endurance — in WEC, the team could likely run as Vanwall.
Hypercars racing in AsLMS will need to be run by customers, which Kolles believes the team would qualify as by running under the ByKolles banner. That said, he is still waiting for clarification on this matter from the ACO.
However, this doesn't apply in WEC, meaning the Vanwall name would be used again, same as in 2023. But, the team would need to run two cars, as is mandated by WEC for Hypercar manufacturers.
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Where would Vanwall fit in WEC?
In 2025, WEC has 36 cars, with 18 in each category. This is four under the maximum number, 40 cars across both classes.
Next year, Genesis will enter two new Hypercars. Ford and McLaren will also enter two apiece in 2027. If every entry from 2025 enters in 2027, this would put the numbers at 24 Hypercars.
But, if we assume that the customer teams in WEC are cut, leaving just factory or works teams, that reduces the number to 22. This would remove the Proton Competition-run Porsche, plus the Le Mans-winning, AF Corse-run #83 Ferrari.
Vanwall entering a new two-car team would increase this back to 24, if every factory team competing in WEC in 2025 sticks around. This is by no means a certainty.
We then have the GT3s to deal with. With 24 Hypercars, this leaves us with 16 GT3s. The current number of GT3s is 18, and this could increase further if other new manufacturers come in.
Lamborghini is known to be working on a new GT3 to replace the aging Huracan. The Italian brand may well want a spot in 2026, after a year out of WEC due to the fall out with Iron Lynx.
So, it's likely to get a bit tight space wise. And, according to WEC CEO Frederic Lequien, WEC will never go fully Hypercar, or prototype.
'We still consider that all DNA in the WEC is to have some GTs and some prototypes,' he told gathered journalists after the ACO press conference the day before Le Mans.
'And also, I would like to remind you, the LMP2 [class] would still be eligible at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. We will maintain 15 LMP2 minimum, whatever the number of Hypercars.'
So, while Vanwall are aiming at a spot in Hypercar for 2027, finding space for them may be a challenge for the ACO.
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