Exactly one month before the official opening of the V de V Endurance Series’ 2017 season – which will take place at the magnificent Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya – the European Proto CN Endurance Challenge initiated by Eric Van de Vyver is looking healthy. Teams are continuing to sign up and there’s lots of news regarding the championship’s organisation. To keep everyone up to speed before the start of the first round, V de V Sports wished to remind you of what we’ll be seeing this year!
A new engine…
From 2017 the 1.6L Peugeot turbo engine, homologated by the FIA and prepared exclusively by RDM, will be accepted in the European Proto CN Endurance Challenge, offering competitors and alternative engine choice to the current Honda 2L. The goal isn’t to get rid of the Honda engine, but rather to introduce a more modern option to the field which V de V hopes will increase the level of competition. The 1.6L turbo Peugeot engine has been used for the last 3 years by competitors in the V de V Funyo Challenge – also prepared by RDM – which pollutes less than the Honda engine, despite it being just as powerful.
One more class, making four classes in total
The arrival of a new engine in the championship meant there has been a reshuffle in the class layout. Before, the CN1 class was reserved for CN prototypes built after 2010 using an aspirated engine, however from 2017, this class will be split in 2: the CNA class unites cars still choosing to run the Honda engine, whereas the CNT class will be reserved for cars using the new turbo engine.
V de V Sports equally has two other classes : the CN2 class – reserved for CN cars built before 2010, including Norma M 20 F, Ligier JS 49 (with the 2008 aerodynamic evolutions), Ligier JS 51, Juno 2009 and so on… Finally the CNF class includes CN prototypes built before 2007 (Norma M 20 & M 20 Evo, Ligier JS 49 without the 2008 aerodynamic upgrades, lesJuno SSE…) however the class is also open to Radical SR 3, SR 5, SR8 RX, Funyo 4, 6, 7 & Funyo SP05 – the elegant prototypes constructed by Yves Orhant’s company Y.O. Concept which are still faster than a Porsche Cup car!
Two constructors are back !
In 2017 we’ll see two new CN manufacturers return to the V de V starting grids – one Portuguese and one British team. Juno Racing Cars, 2007 overall champions, will return with a few “factory” run cars in order to pursue their development before they launch the new carbon chassis cars in 2018. Gibson Motorsport is the second candidate to appear in V de V this year after a brief pause, which will mark the arrival of their new and much awaited GH-20, developed over the last 2 years by a group of engineers with F1 level experience. We should have more news regarding this car this week… so hold on to your hats – war is declared in CN!
