Jacques Villeneuve set for Le Mans return — racing for Vanwall

Among all the excitement of the unveiling of the FIA World Endurance Championship’s 2023 entry list came a couple of curveballs, one straight out of the early 2000s, and the other from the 1950s.

Many would be forgiven for thinking that Colin Kolles’ surprise Vanwall Le Mans Hypercar plans wouldn’t get very far amid questions over the car’s naming rights, status as a manufacturer and its homologation, yet among the impressive list of 13 full-season Hypercar entries sits the Vanwall Racing Team (or ByKolles). And even more surprising, it has named 1997 Formula 1 champion Jacques Villeneuve as a driver.

The Canadian, who last contested Le Mans with Peugeot in 2008, will share with Tom Dillmann and Esteban Guerrieri. Kolles has even suggested he wants to field a second Vandervell 680 (named after Vanwall founder Tony Vandervell) at Le Mans. The brand hasn’t raced since 1961…