Vortex SAS

The team made their 24H Series debut in 2016 at the season-opening Dubai 24 Hour with a GC10-V8 built by GC Automobile, qualifying on pole in the SP2 class, being the first non-GT3 car on the grid in 18th overall. The car ended the race in 2nd in class, 27th overall.[2][3]

A podium-less streak followed for the rest of the 2016 season, the team ending their season 4th in class with 69 points, 10th in the overall GT standings.[4][5]

The team upgraded to a full-season entry for 2017 in both the SPX and SP2 classes. A heavily unsubscribed entry in the former resulted in a lack of competition for the team debuting their Vortex 1.0 car. The team competed in every round except the 12H Imola but struggled to score points throughout the season, only taking 2nd in class at Mugello and the Red Bull Ring in SPX and 3rd at the Italian venue in SP2, ending their season in 4th and 7th in their class standings.[1]

Vortex downsized their operation to just two events in 2018, failing to finish at the 12H Navarra and managing enough laps to be classified as fifth in class at the 24 Hours of Barcelona. The team would end the season fifth, and last, in class.[6]

2019 marked the return of the GC10 which took a maiden win for Vortex SAS in the season-opener at Dubai, whilst the 1.0 SPX entry retired shortly before halfway distance. The GC10 took second at the 12 Hours of Mugello in class in its final race. The 1.0 returned for the 24 Hours of Barcelona for the final round of the European segment of the season, qualifying on pole and finishing in third, one lap clear of the next car.[7]

The 1.0 was entered into the 2020 Dubai 24 Hour into the renamed GTX class. The car only managed 33 laps before the race was called off due to flooding.[8][9]

Vortex were one of four GTX teams to enter in the first round at Dubai, despite being 100 laps down on the class winner, they took the flag in second position. This result would be succeeded by multiple podium finishes in every subsequent race bar the 24 Hours of Barcelona. The team entered two cars, the No. 701 and No. 712, at 3 rounds throughout the season, Mugello, Paul Ricard and Barcelona.[10]

One highlight of the season was a double podium finish in class at the 12 Hours of Mugello. The No. 701 finished 15th overall and 3rd in class at the 24 Hours of Sebring, thus allowing Philippe Bonnel to secure GTX drivers' and teams' championship for Vortex V8, with 96 points despite not winning a single race. They finished in the GT Teams' standings in 4th, tied with two GT3 teams on 109 points.

At the 2022 edition of the Dubai 24 Hour, mechanical troubles delayed the 701 car almost to the point of non-classification, amassing enough laps to be classified as third in GTX. Three Vortex 1.0s were present for the following championship round at Mugello, the additional No. 703 car taking third place in class whilst the main two cars faltered, still finishing however. The Vortex 1.0s were ultimately out-paced by their GTX competitors, only taking three more podium finishes at Spa-Francorchamps, Barcelona and Kuwait.[11]

After the Middle East Trophy-opening round at Kuwait, the 1.0s were only challenged by Razoon – More than Racing's KTM X-BOW. The cars ran without troubles for most of the event until the No. 702 car caught fire with under four hours to go, being classified in third through its adequate race distance whilst the 701 finished second 59 laps down. At the Trophy-season-closing round at Yas Marina Circuit, the 701 finished in fourth, ending the season 2nd in the GTX standings of the Middle East Trophy, twelve points shy of Razoon – More than Racing.

Upon the season's first race in Europe at the 12 Hours of Mugello, the duo of 1.0 cars ran smoothly, taking the lead and holding it for many hours in both parts of the evenly-split race. Despite both cars having to deal with separate wheel issues, the team finished 1–2 in GTX, 24th and 25th overall respectively, marking the team's second win in the 24H Series.[12]

Vortex 1.0

Constructor	Vortex SAS
Designer(s)	Arnaud Gomez Olivier Gomez
Technical specifications[1][13]
Chassis	Carbon Monocoque
Suspension (front)	Ohlins double wishbones, shock absorbers, adjustable anti-roll bar
Suspension (rear)	As front
Engine	Chevrolet LS3 6.2 L (6,200 cc; 378 cu in) V8 mid-engined, longitudinally mounted
Transmission	6-speed sequential semi-automatic paddle-shift gearbox
Weight	1,050 kg (2,310 lb)
Tyres	Michelin Hankook
Competition history
Notable entrants	Vortex V8 GPC Motorsport
Debut	2016 4 Hours of Barcelona
Races Wins 127 35 (35 class victories in competition, including six outright wins)
Teams' Championships	1 (2021 24H Series GTX)
Drivers' Championships	7 (2017 Spanish GT, 2017 Spanish GT - Class 1, 2019 Ultimate Cup Challenge GT UGT, 2021 Spanish GT, 2021 24H Series GTX, 2022 Ultimate Cup GT Endurance GT3B, 2022 Ultimate Cup GT Sprint GT3B)

The 1.0 would make its competitive debut in the VdeV Endurance Series at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, competing in the 4-hour-long season opener with GPC Motorsport, the #20 car being driven by Iradj Alexander and Alexandre Coigny. After qualifying 20th out of 23 cars, the car would go on to finish in 21st, six laps down on the next car.[14] It would fail to finish the next three races in entered before being pulled from the final trio of events.

Despite not being built to any given class specifications, the car has found its way into many championships, either into classes that are generally open to all GT cars or Open GT-type classes, one example being 24H Series' GTX class which is open to similar cars like the Mustang-shaped MARC II V8.

The Vortex 1.0 has taken championship titles in three of the championships it has taken part in: three in the Ultimate Cup Series, two in the Spanish GT Championship in 2017 and 2021 and one in the 24H Series in 2021.

It is also notable for its unique, independently produced appearance among more popular, conventionally-bodied GT cars it competes against. It is one of the only remaining cars to be built and run in an international championship by the same team, other similar examples including the Brokernet Silver Sting,[15] and the Solution-F-made cars, the Divitec SF11 and Foenix, which all have unique body shapes respectively.[16]

The #701 Vortex 1.0 claimed its first GTX and 24H Series victory at the 2023 12 Hours of Mugello, ending an almost seven-year winless streak.[12]

Vortex 2.0

Constructor	Vortex SAS
Designer(s)	Arnaud Gomez Olivier Gomez
Technical specifications[17]
Chassis	Carbon Monocoque
Suspension (front)	PKM double wishbones with pushrod, adjustable anti-roll bar
Suspension (rear)	As front
Length	4,500 mm
Width	1,996 mm
Height	1,165 mm
Engine	Chevrolet LS3 6.2 L (6,200 cc; 378 cu in) V8 mid-engined, longitudinally mounted
Transmission	6-speed Sadev sequential semi-automatic paddle-shift SLR90 gearbox
Weight	1,000 kg (2,200 lb)
Tyres	Michelin Hankook
Competition history
Notable entrants	Vortex V8
Debut	2023 12 Hours of Kuwait

The team's latest innovation was announced as the Vortex 2.0, possessing a more streamlined but similar look to its predecessor. It is expected to debut in the 2023 24H Series season.[18]

The 2.0 was revealed during the 2023 24 Hours of Barcelona event on 15 September, Friday. The car's improvements from its predecessor include a 120 kg kerb weight drop, PKM suspension and many changes to assist with cooling the brakes and amending many issues the 1.0 had. A full-width rear wing is another complete change, in an effort to improve downforce which is assisted by the bodywork that will help to direct air rearwards. The car is scheduled to debut at the 2023–24 Middle East Trophy-opening 12 Hours of Kuwait round on 8–9 December 2023.[19][17]

(key) (results in bold indicate pole position)

Year	Car	Class	Drivers	No.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	Team Pts.	Team Pos.
2016	GC Automobile GC10-V8	SP2			DUB	MUG	SIL	ZAN	LEC	BAR	BRN
			Lionel Amrouche	203	27	41		37	17	Ret			69	4th
			Cyril Calmon		27	41		37		Ret
			Mathieu Pontais		27				17
			Alban Veruti		27
			Franck Leone-Provost			41
			Amro Al-Hamad					37
			Nagy Kabaz Jérémy Reymond						17
			Philippe Burel Philippe Gruau							Ret
	GC Automobile GC10.2-V6	SP-Touring	Lionel Amrouche Cyril Calmon Jérémy Reymond Kurt Thiel				17						NC	0
2017	Vortex 1.0	SPX[N 1]			DUB	MUG	RBR	LEC	IMO	ALG	COA
			Lionel Amrouche Cyril Calmon	204	Ret	Ret	27	Ret		Ret			15	4th
			Arnaud Gomez		Ret	Ret
			Olivier Gomez		Ret
			Philippe Gruau			Ret
			Amaury Bonduel				27	Ret
			Alain Costa					Ret
			Martin Hald Gøtsche Nanna Hald Gøtsche							Ret
	GC Automobile GC10-V8	SP2	Günther Deutsch Marco Deutsch Mathieu Pontais Kurt Thiel	203	Ret								16	7th
			Martin Hald Gøtsche Nanna Hald Gøtsche			17		Ret	DNS
			Florian Revaz			17
			Maxim Aronov Lev Fridman Jean Christophe Rey					Ret
			Lionel Amrouche						DNS
2018	Vortex 1.0	SPX			DUB	SIL	NAV	IMO	POR	BAR	SPA	COA
			Lionel Amrouche Philippe Gruau Philippe Valenza	204			Ret						4	5th
			Julien Boillot Philippe Burel Stephane Cottrell Victor Fernandes							36
2019 2019	Vortex 1.0	SPX			DUB	MUG	SPA	BRN	POR	BAR	COA
			Arnaud Gomez Olivier Gomez Alban Veruti	701	Ret								16	NC
			Stephane Cottrell Philippe Gruau Francesc Gutierrez Agüi Nicolas Nobs							25
	GC Automobile GC10.2-V6	SP3	Philippe Bonnel Franck Lefèvre Nicolas Nobs	301	47	39							28[N 2] 11	NC[N 2] NC
			Thomas Cordelier		47
2020	Vortex 1.0	GTX			DUB	POR	MNZ	HOC	PER	MUG
			Julien Boillot Philippe Bonnel Arnaud Gomez Olivier Gomez	701	Ret								0	NC
2021	Vortex 1.0	GTX			DUB	MUG	LEC	HOC	BAR	HUN	SEB
			Lionel Amrouche Karen Gaillard	701	35	30			21				109	1st
			Philippe Bonnel		35			22		13	15
			Alban Veruti		35
			Boris Gimond			30					15
			Bastien Gouret				15	22
			Philippe Gruau				15		21
			Olivier Gomez				15
			Nicolas Nobs					22		13
			Arnaud Gomez					22
			Franck Leone-Provost						21
			Gilles Courtois							13
			"Steve Brooks" Sébastien Lajoux								15
			Philippe Bonnel Nicolas Nobs	712		23	19		22				39	4th
			Pierre Fontaine			23	19
			Boris Gimond Sébastien Lajoux						22
2022	Vortex 1.0	GTX			DUB	MUG	SPA	HOC	POR	BAR	KUW
			Lionel Amrouche Philippe Bonnel	701	70	38	21	23	19	34	15		47[N 3] 44	2nd[N 3] 3rd
			Sébastien Lajoux		70	38	21	23
			Philippe Gruau		70
			Olivier Gomez						19	34
			Arnaud Gomez Lucas Lasserre							34
			Nicolas Nobs								15
			Gilles Courtois	702		34	Ret			31			16[N 4] 26	NC[N 4] 4th
			Nicolas Nobs			34				31
			Patrick Brochier			34
			Boris Gimonnd				Ret
			Philippe Gruau				Ret			31
			Lionel Amrouche Philippe Bonnel Francesc Gutierrez Agüi							31
			Christophe Decultot Pierre Fontaine Philippe Gruau	703		27							11[N 5]	NC[N 5]
2022–23	Vortex 1.0	GTX			KUW	DUB	ABU
			Lionel Amrouche Philippe Bonnel	701	15	34	20						100	2nd
			Nicholas Nobs		15
			Philippe Gruau Tom Pieri			34
			Julien Boillot				20
			Philippe Fertoret Miguel Moiola Nicolas Nobs Lucas Sugliano	702		38							0	NC
2023	Vortex 1.0	GTX			MUG	SPA	MNZ	EST		BAR
			Lionel Amrouche	701	24	40	22	18	15	24	20		172	2nd
			Philippe Bonnel		24		22	18	15	24	20
			Philippe Gruau		24
			Olivier Gomez			40
			Gilles Courtois				22	18	15
			Miguel Moiola Lucas Sugliano							24	20
			Laurent Misbach Lucas Sugliano	702	25	Ret							66	5th
			Pierre Fontaine		25
			Philippe Gruau			Ret				30	31
			Solenn Amrouche Julien Boillot Stéphane Cottrell							30	31

* Season still in progress.

(key) (results in bold indicate pole position)

Year	Car	Class	Drivers	No.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Driver Pts.	Driver Pos.	Team Pts.	Team Pos.
2019	Vortex 1.0	UGT			EST	DIJ	SVK	MUG	VAL	MAG	LEC	[20]
			Philippe Bonnel Frank Lefevre	701	5	5		6	4	7	12	200	1st	N/A
			Arnaud Gomez		5							50	3rd
			Nicolas Nobs			5		6	4	4		100	2nd
			Olivier Gomez								12	50	3rd
2021	Vortex 1.0	UGT3B			LEC1	DIJ	LEC2	BUG	MAG	EST		[21]
			Karen Gaillard	701		20	7					30	7th	42.5	14th
			Gilles Courtois			20		20	Ret			27	8th
			Philippe Gaillard			20						15	10th
			Lionel Amrouche Boris Gimond				7
			Patrick Brochier					20	Ret			12	11th
			Frank Lefevre					20
			Alex Di Bernardini						Ret			0	NC
			Patrick Brochier Gilles Courtois Stephane Gervais	702		Ret						0	NC
			Sébastien Lajoux	712		7	10	14	Ret			52	4th
			Philippe Bonnel Nicolas Nobs			7	10	14
			Laurène Godey Sébastien Loeb						Ret			0	NC
2022	Vortex 1.0	UGT3B			LEC1	NAV	MIS	HOC	MAG	LEC2		[22][23]
			Lucas Sugliano	701	17	5	8	7	DSQ	16		154	1st	87.5	6th
			Miguel Moiola		17	5	8					93	4th
			Philippe Bonnel		17	5		7	DSQ	16		129	2nd
			Cyril Calmon				8		DSQ	16		93	3rd
			Vincent Congnet					7				75	5th
				702					DSQ	9
			Christophe Decultot Pierre Fontaine						DSQ	9		50	7th
			Cyril Calmon	703	9	6						93	3rd
			Sébastien Lajoux		9	6						61	6th
			Lionel Amrouche		9					Ret		25	10th
			Philippe Gruau			6						36	9th
			Solenn Amrouche							Ret		0	NC
			Miguel Moiola							Ret		93	4th
2023	Vortex 1.0	3B			LEC1	NAV	HOC	EST	MAG	LEC2		[24]
			Miguel Moiola	701	8	6	6					87.5*	2nd*	43.75*	9th*
			Vincent Congnet		8		6					50*	5th*
			Cyril Calmon		8							25*	10th*
			Lorina Padovani			6						55.5*	4th*
			Philippe Gruau			6						37.5*	8th*
			Philippe Bonnel				6					25*	10th*
			Lorina Padovani	702	11		WD					55.5*	4th*
			Solenn Amrouche		11		Ret					18*	11th*
			Antoine Rizzo		11
			Arnaud Gomez			7	Ret					27*	9th*
			Lionel Amrouche Olivier Gomez			7

* Season still in progress.

(key) (results in bold indicate pole position)

Year	Car	Class	Drivers	No.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	Driver Pts.	Driver Pos.	Team Pts.	Team Pos.
2021	Vortex 1.0	UGT3B			LEC1				DIJ				LEC2				BUG				MAG				EST				[21]
			Karen Gaillard	701					17	DNS	4	DNS	9		10	9													44	2nd	80	9th
			Lionel Amrouche											Ret	10	9													16	6th
			Olivier Gomez	712					4	DNS	DNS	DNS																	8	10th
			Sébastien Lajoux										11	DNS	13	DNS													12	8th
2022	Vortex 1.0	UGT3B			LEC1			NAV			MIS			HOC			MAG			LEC2			[25][26]
			Alex Di Bernardini	70	DSQ																								0	NC	236	3rd
			Solenn Amrouche			14	10																						0	NC
			Jeremy Faligand						Ret	6	10	9	8	6	7	7	14	11	8	14	14	14							204	1st
			Maxime Rizzo					5		6																			0	NC
			Lugas Sugliano	71				2		DNS							11		14										44	6th
			Miguel Moiola						1	DNS																			0	NC
			Nicolas Nobs															13	14										0	NC
2023	Vortex 1.0	UGT3B			LEC1			NAV			HOC			EST			MAG			LEC2			[27]
			Lionel Amrouche	702				7		8																			48*	5th*	48*	14th*
			Olivier Gomez						Ret	8																			30*	8th*

(key) (results in bold indicate pole position)

Year	Car	Class	Drivers	No.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	Driver Pts.	Driver Pos.
2016	GC Automobile GC10-V8	GT			BAR	NAV	ARA	VAL	JAR	[28]
			Philippe Gruau	104	44		5	Ret								57.6	3rd
			Nicolas Nobs		44											10	15th
			Antonio Castillo Desire Torres			9										21.6	11th
			Lionel Amrouche				5	Ret	2							50.4	4th
			Olivier Gomez						2							25.2	8th
			Antonio Castillo Desire Torres	105	Ret		Ret									21.6	11th
			Philippe Gruau						3							57.6	3rd
			Arnaud Gomez						3							22.4	10th
2017	GC Automobile GC10-V8	C1			VAL	ARA		JAR	BAR	NAV		[29]
			Philippe Gruau	103	7											162	1st
			Stephane Cottrel		7											56.4	4th
	Vortex 1.0		Philippe Gruau			1	2	Ret	42	2	3					162	1st
			Arnaud Gomez			1	2									50.2	5th
			Stephane Cottrel					Ret	42							56.4	4th
			Lionel Amrouche							2	3					0	NC
	GC Automobile GC10.2-V6	C3	Nicolas Nobs	104	24	17	Ret	13	23	26	18					175.2	1st
			Arnaud Gomez		24											39.6	8th
			Olivier Gomez			17	Ret									22.4	9th
			Gilles Courtois						23	26	18					79.6	5th
2018	Vortex 1.0	C1			VAL	ARA		NAV		JAR		BAR	[30]
			Philippe Gruau	101	EX											91	4th
			Stephane Cottrell		EX											0	NC
			Lionel Amrouche	102	6	2	2	7	2			Ret				134.2	2nd
			Philippe Valenza		6							Ret				43.2	5th
			Philippe Gruau			2	2	7	2							91	4th
	GC Automobile GC10.2-V6	C3	Nicolas Nobs	101						9	6					39.2	7th
2019	Vortex 1.0	C1			NAV		ARA		VAL		JAR		BAR	[31]
			Philippe Gruau	101	4	Ret	2	Ret	DNS	DNS	6	DNS				76.4	5th
			Arnaud Gomez				2	Ret								76.4	5th
	Vortex Light	C2	Arnaud Gomez Olivier Gomez	100									6			0	NC
2020	Vortex 1.0	C1			NAV		VAL		JER		BAR		ARA	[32]
			Philippe Bonnel Nicolas Nobs	135							6					30.8	5th
			Arnaud Gomez Philippe Gruau	136	11	3	3	4	5	Ret	3	9	3			203.6	2nd
	Vortex Light	C3	Karen Gaillard	134	6	8										60	4th
			Patrick Brochier Gilles Courtois				9	9	9	8	7	8	9			166.4	2nd
			Philippe Bonnel Nicolas Nobs	135	10	6										50	7th
			Lionel Amrouche				6	5								60	4th
2021	Vortex 1.0	C1			NAV		ARA		VAL		JER		BAR	[33]
			Lionel Amrouche	102	6	6	2	3	6	6	Ret	DNS	7			156	5th
			Philippe Gruau		6	6	2	3	6	6	Ret	DNS				156	5th
			Sebastien Lajoux										7			0	NC
			Arnaud Gomez Olivier Gomez	112	1	1			2	1	2	4	4			272	1st
			Patrick Brochier Nicolas Nobs	122									8			0	NC
2022	Vortex 1.0	C1			VAL		ALG		ARA		JER	NAV		BAR	[34]
			Philippe Gruau	112								6	6	DNS		22.4	4th
			Solenn Amrouche									6	6			22.4	5th
			Arnaud Gomez											DNS		0	NC
2023	Vortex 1.0	GPX			NAV		ALG		ARA		VAL		JER		BAR	[35]
			Solenn Amrouche	101	3	C	11	11	7	7	1	7				90.4*	1st*
			Lionel Amrouche		3	C			7	7	1	7				68*	4th*
			Nicolas Nobs				11	11								51.2*	6th*
				102	8	C			14	17
			Philippe Gruau		8	C										66.8*	5th*
			Philippe Bonnel		WD	WD			7	7						16*	8th*
			Philippe Gruau	103					2	18	6	5				66.8*	5th*