New-for-2022 squad Vector Sport finished third in class on Sunday, marking a major improvement on its previous best finish of 10th, while Inter Europol Competition, which is in its sophomore WEC campaign, equalled its best-ever WEC finish of fourth.
Vector trio Sebastien Bourdais, Nico Muller and Ryan Cullen were in the lead group throughout the six-hour race, helped by silver-rated Cullen quickly climbing from seventh on the grid to third and astute fuel and tyre management.
In the end the team’s #10 Oreca 07-Gibson was only bested by the class-winning Realteam by WRT car and the #38 JOTA entry, which both benefitted from a penultimate-hour full-course yellow.
Although Vector’s cause was helped by some more fancied runners, including JOTA’s #28 car and United Autosports’ #22 entry, hitting trouble, team boss Gary Holland feels the result was an important statement for his outfit to make.
“We are very pleased with the result considering it’s only our fourth ever WEC race,” said Holland. “I think it validates our inception and also repays, hopefully, some of the faith that the ACO has shown in us as a new team entering WEC and shown the level that we can operate at.
“I am very pleased that we could take the fight to the teams who have been doing this with these cars for 10 years or so.”
Bourdais, who is combining WEC with his Chip Ganassi Racing commitments in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship this year, added: “I’m really happy for the guys and it’s a huge reward after a lot of hard work since the beginning of the year for that little group at Vector Sport.
“To finish on the podium against the WRT, JOTA and Premas of the world is a huge achievement for a small group.”
Prior to Monza, the best result achieved by the #34 Inter Europol Oreca of ex-Formula 1 racer Esteban Gutierrez, Alex Brundle and Jakub Smiechowski this year had been 13th in the Le Mans 24 Hours.
The Polish outfit was likewise among the leading group for much of the latter part of the race, but late fuel-saving meant the team fell an agonising eight seconds shy of what would have been a maiden WEC podium finish.
“The step forward we have taken forward this year is clear,” said Brundle, who was also part of the team's 2021 line-up alongside Smiechowski and Renger van der Zande.
“I gave it my all to try and secure the podium position, but we couldn’t quite manage it this time just because the way the race fell, and having to save fuel for the final stint was the real nail in the coffin for our podium ambitions.
“However, it’s also great to help bring home the best result for the team yet in FIA WEC and it’s another good step forwards after a difficult start to the season. All the team members thoroughly deserve this result and much more.”
