Vortex SAS is a French auto racing team founded by brothers Arnaud and Olivier Gomez in 2015. After competing in silhouette race cars for a number of years, the team was created by the Gomez brothers. Competing as Vortex V8, they build and run their own lightweight GT cars that compete in the 24H Series, Ultimate Cup Series and Campeonato de España de GT.

24H Series

2016
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.

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.

2017
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.

2018
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.

2019
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.

2020
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.

2021
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.

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.

2022
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.

2023
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.

Cars

Vortex 1.0

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. 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, and the Solution-F-made cars, the Divitec SF11 and Foenix, which all have unique body shapes respectively.

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.

Vortex 2.0
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.

Racing record

Complete 24H Series results
(key) (results in bold indicate pole position)

 Season still in progress.

Complete Ultimate Cup Series results

Endurance
(key) (results in bold indicate pole position)

 Season still in progress.

Sprint
(key) (results in bold indicate pole position)

Complete Campeonato de España de GT results
(key) (results in bold indicate pole position)

Notes

References

External links

Auto racing teams in France
2015 establishments in France
Sports car manufacturers
Auto racing teams established in 2015
Car manufacturers of France