The ByKolles-run squad returned to the WEC this 12 months with the non-hybrid Vandervell 680 LMH, the successor to the troubled CLM P1/01 LMP1 automotive that failed to complete Le Mans 24 Hours in six successive makes an attempt.
Vanwall’s season thus far has been suffering from quite a lot of reliability points, most notably a brake explosion at Portimao that led to Jacques Villeneuve’s race-ending crash and an engine failure on the Le Mans 24 Hours that compelled the workforce into one other retirement.
Within the earlier spherical at Monza, the workforce additionally misplaced a piece of the time within the pits to clear brake ducts amid overheating points, leaving it twentieth – and behind eight LMP2 vehicles – on the end.
Nevertheless Guerrieri, who has been a part of the Vanwall LMH programme from its inception and is the one driver to have taken half in each race with the workforce in 2023, defined that the Vandervell 680 is progressively turning right into a dependable machine and has encountered no main technical issues lately.
“Throughout Monza we did not have any large reliability points and thus far this weekend [at Fuji] as nicely,” Guerrieri instructed Autosport. “So in that space we’re doing fairly good.
“There are little issues right here and there, like immediately [Friday] we had a difficulty with the steering rack, most likely [ran] over a kerb or one thing.
“Issues can occur, we assess this as a difficulty as nicely. However [the reliability is] trying significantly better.”
Requested if that meant Vanwall may now put extra effort into extracting extra pace out of the automotive, Guerrieri mentioned: “We have no reliability points, undoubtedly sure.
“Efficiency-wise and set-up we’ve got been attempting totally different instructions. But it surely appears like there is likely to be extra structural points or issues that we have to enhance and it is not solely across the set-up.”
Guerrieri says reliability has improved, however believes there may be extra work to do
Picture by: JEP / Motorsport Images
Vanwall appears unlikely to be within the combine on this weekend’s Fuji 6 Hours, with Guerrieri’s team-mate Joao Paulo de Oliveira conceding that the workforce continues to be a number of seconds off the tempo.
With Tristan Vautier behind the wheel, Vanwall introduced up the rear of the 12-car Hypercar area in qualifying, 4.405s behind Kamui Kobayashi’s polesitting #7 Toyota.
“Having the reference from Monza, I do know we’re going to be two to 3 seconds off the tempo of the highest vehicles,” the Brazilian instructed Autosport.
“We had been lower than two seconds in FP2, which is an effective signal. We are going to simply attempt to hold working. We don’t actually know by way of tempo if we go anyplace additional forward.
“I see some potential to be unlocked [in the car], however I’m not making the selections. I simply observe what is set as a workforce.”
Vanwall was one of many two privateer LMH groups to join the 2023 season, the opposite being Glickenhaus, and is sharing the grid with manufacturing unit vehicles from Porsche, Toyota, Ferrari, Peugeot and Cadillac.
A restricted testing programme put Vanwall on the again foot going into the marketing campaign, and an absence of a check automotive has since held again the German-based workforce in its quest to catch as much as its rivals.
After 5 rounds, Vanwall has a finest class end of eighth to its title, achieved within the season-opener at Sebring, and it has often seemed inferior to Glickenhaus’ extra dependable and aggressive 007 LMH.
Sebring stays one of the best exhibiting for Vanwall thus far this 12 months
Picture by: JEP / Motorsport Images
Guerrieri feels Vanwall has made loads of progress for the reason that first race of the season in March, however feels there may be room to enhance the workforce’s operations to be able to be extra aggressive in WEC.
“We began a bit late with the event mission of the automotive, so there was not likely a lot helpful testing that we may have performed throughout final 12 months,” he mentioned.
“So we went to the primary race in Sebring a bit of bit like, ‘okay, let’s make a place to begin right here and attempt to earn quite a bit in the course of the experiences of a race weekend’, which can be crucial, which is the place you have got probably the most stress.
“I can’t actually [rate the season] with a quantity however I can inform you we’re bettering each time and studying from issues which are occurring in the course of the race weekends as a result of we mainly have not performed any testing for the reason that 12 months began.
“There are some stuff you can’t change from sooner or later to a different, it is extra like a structural factor that we have to enhance. However we will all the time enhance on the operational aspect, with the procedures.
“I feel there may be room there for enchancment and we’re assessing this and we’re engaged on the route to attempt to maximise the potential that we’re having proper now.”