[WEC] Kolles Prototype

[GT6]

It is a good looking car but let us hope they have sorted all the problems and we will still see it next sunday afternoon.

[veeten]

So, how much of a wager do you want to put on that?...

[Adam43]

Driver Comparison:

Average Lap time

Rank	Car	Fastest	Top 5	Top 10	Top 15	Laps
1	Tom DILLMANN (Vanwall 4)	3:29.745	3:30.222	3:31.135	3:32.524	39
2	Tristan VAUTIER (Vanwall 4)	3:32.540	3:33.554	3:34.518	3:35.563	29
3	Esteban GUERRIERI (Vanwall 4)	3:33.147	3:34.327	3:35.027	3:35.733	36

What, no Villeneuve? Sorry.

Main difference, probably just how many laps you got and if you did qualifying.

[v8supes]

Why does everything involved with Colin Kolles end up like this? Dillmann has left the team. Personally i hope its because Dillmann has been signed up by someone like Alpine.

https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/...ual-agreement/

[skycafe]

Originally Posted by v8supes

Why does everything involved with Colin Kolles end up like this? Dillmann has left the team.

https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/...ual-agreement/

"why does everything involved with Kolles end up like this..."

It answers itself.

[Coach Ep]

I doubt we'll see Vanwell/ByKolles return to the WEC next year. The series clearly gave the team a break this season by letting them participate (despite the legal challenges in the background), only to be paid back in poor performances and the almost traditional, bickerings on the sideline.

The car looks great and that's all that's positive about this team. It had its brief appearance on the main stage, now it's time to be done with it.

[FIRE]

With all new hypercar/lmdh cars coming I can understand he wants to be a free agent.

[Adam43]

Tom Dillman has left Kolles/Vanwall/Floyd

https://www.dailysportscar.com/2023/...h-vanwall.html

Both team and driver are at pains to stress it is on good terms. Apparently they’ve both just got new puppies.

[S griffin]

Obviously the project has been well meaning, but it's not been good enough, so it's no surprise Dillman has made the jump. He probably did leave them on good terms, but you never know. I wouldn't want to speculate too much

[Gerard C]

Lets see what Paulo de Oliveira can do for Vanwall at Monza (with Vautier and Guerrieri) .

[Tique]

I am surprise to see the difference of performance between Vautier and Dillmann. I was expecting to see closer time

[Gerard C]

Moi aussi. But one could say the car is to Dillmann specifications and may be the settings suiting him well he feels at home when another driver has to cope with the car. Not sure to be true.

[S griffin]

Well if they feel Dillman is the most capable and the one with the best feedback you can understand why. Of course it won't be easy for any driver coming in, but then if his style works best, then you others have to follow him. But that's if this is true as you say

[TF110]

Dillman has also been in the team for quite a while. Vautier is brand new so it's easy to see why theres such a gap.

[Gerard C]

Vautier or Dilmmann settings/driving, nothing new for this team I fear. During the Hypercar only Q: best time Toyota #7; 1'35"3, Vanwall: 1'38". Best top speeds Toyota #8 (Hartley): 316 kph, Vanwall (Gurrieri): 305 kph. I didn't look at the best sector times which could be interesting.

[Koenigsegg]

Apparently the Gibson engine can't hit the power levels allowed.

https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/...ce-notebook-6/

[Adam43]

About 27kW down! So only 493kW. How can this be? That Gibson is clearly capable of that. Is it some thing to do with the installation?

Is this a recent thing, or has it always been like this?

[tomcug]

Originally Posted by Adam43

About 27kW down! So only 493kW. How can this be? That Gibson is clearly capable of that.

I think the answer might be Kolles chassis and its cooling issues And yes, normally around 700 hp shouldn't be a problem for that engine but basically every motor that Kolles had put in their chassis didn't shine and had reliability issues.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Koenigsegg

Apparently the Gibson engine can't hit the power levels allowed.

https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/...ce-notebook-6/

Also of note in there was the brake wear issues noted by both Vanwall and Glickenhaus.

Originally Posted by Adam43

About 27kW down! So only 493kW. How can this be? That Gibson is clearly capable of that. Is it some thing to do with the installation?

Is this a recent thing, or has it always been like this?

Bizarre isn't it? Would the age of an engine play into this as well? Would they be able to buy second hand versions of this motor with many miles on it?

[Gerard C]

Originally Posted by tomcug

I think the answer might be Kolles chassis and its cooling issues. And yes, normally around 700 hp shouldn't be a problem for that engine but basically every motor that Kolles had put in their chassis didn't shine and had reliability issues.

Very intersting info and point of view. Thanks.

[Steve McQ]

Actually the Gibson GL458 never ran 700 bhp in race conditions, it never needed to since the rules prevented it. In the Rebellion R13 LMP1 it was given for 670 bhp, more or less what we have today in the Vanwall (says Vautier). In its 4.2L LMP2 version it goes for 600 bhp. Can a 0.3L displacement extension and other small optimization produce 100 bhp reliably knowing the redline is the same (9000 rpm) ? GL458 does not have direct fuel injection for example. All the work done for the R13 was to put the LMP2 engine (and former 2008-2010 LMP1) to the 2014 LMP1 rules with the fuelflow meter etc...

I am not considering Kolles car is perfect, at all. But the Gibson powerplant is also probably not powerful enough in its current state to the hypercar standard.

Unfortunately, being 30 horsepower down on anybody else means the Vanwall should receive a... 50kg weight break to be competitive while it is already at minimum weight by the rules. Which means it is not going to happen.

[Adam43]

While in some other guises that engine ran less than 700hp I am fairly confident this could.
What power did it have in LMP1?

Let’s assume it can’t get to 520k’W and it isn’t down to poor installation design or old engine. If they’ve built a car and sourced an engine that is unsuitable the that is down to the. Which means it shouldn’t happen!

[tomcug]

Originally Posted by Adam43

What power did it have in LMP1?

Good question With no official data we can only guess but after upgrades introduces in 2019 most probably around 700 hp - at least two different people mentioned that number on tentenths.

[Steve McQ]

670bhp in LMP1 (Rebellion R13, 2018).

I am confident the engine can run 700bhp in qualy, but not reliably for 24 hours. Why did the Vanwall drop out of LM24 this year ? Engine failure.

Regarding the fact ByKolles built a car with an engine not suited to the rules, let's not forget said rules changed a lot along the way and I think power figures where down to 670 bhp (or 500kw like the Gibson!) at some point, before getting back up to 700 to suit the LMDh ruleset.

[Gerard C]

There's a direct link, amongst others, for any race engine, iron or alu block, between the coolant temp and the power it can pump out remaining reliable. So, if they have constant cooling issues coming from the body/frame design, they cant use the max revs they wish, allowed or not.

Adam, did you notice the same with your MGB too? I had this with my 67 'Vette 427 in full FIA trim and still have a Capri 3.0 V6 Essex and the T at the exit of the heads was fixed by the engine builder as well. Works with a simple Miata too. Hence an oil rad is very helpful but again you must feed it with fresh air.