Embassy WF01
{{short description|British sports car prototype}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox racing car
| Car_name = Embassy WF01
| Category = Le Mans Prototype
| Constructor = Embassy Racing
| Designer = Peter Elleray
| Team = {{flagicon|UK}} Embassy Racing
| Chassis = Carbon fiber monocoque
| Front suspension = Double wishbones, pushrods coil springs and dampers with power steering.
| Rear suspension = Same as front
| Engine name = Zytek ZG348
| Capacity = {{convert|3396|cc|L cuin|1|abbr=on}}
| Configuration = 90° V8
| Turbo/NA = NA, 32-valve, DOHC
| Gearbox name = Ricardo
| Gears = 6-speed
| Type = sequential
| Differential =
| Fuel =
| Tyres =
| Races = 7
| Wins = 0
| Cons_champ = 0
| Drivers_champ = 0
| Teams_champ = 0
| Poles = 0
| Podiums = 0
| brakes = Carbon ceramic ventilated discs, all-round
| power = {{cvt|540|hp|PS kW|0|abbr=on}}
| drivers = {{flagicon|UK}} Warren Hughes
{{flagicon|UK}} Jonny Kane
{{flagicon|UK}} Joey Foster
{{flagicon|UK}} Darren Manning
{{flagicon|BRA}} Mário Haberfeld
{{flagicon|UK}} Tom Kimber-Smith
{{flagicon|UK}} Jody Firth
| last_season =
| last_event = 2009 1000 km of Silverstone
| debut = 2008 1000 km of Catalunya
| fastest laps = 0
| engine position = mid-engine, longitudinally-mounted
| weight = {{cvt|825|kg|lb|abbr=on}}
| image = Embassy 46 Front.jpg
}}
The Embassy WF01 is an Le Mans Prototype LMP2 race car designed, developed and built by British team, Embassy Racing, for the Le Mans Endurance Series and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The car was powered by the Zytek ZG348 with a total of two cars produced.{{Cite web |title=2008 Embassy Racing WF01 Zytek Specifications |url=https://www.ultimatecarpage.com/spec/3412/Embassy-Racing-WF01-Zytek.html |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=Ultimatecarpage.com}}{{Cite web |title=Embassy WF-01 |url=https://tigaracecars.com/cars/masters-endurance-legends-for-sale/37-embassy-wf-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250128050123/https://tigaracecars.com/cars/masters-endurance-legends-for-sale/37-embassy-wf-01 |archive-date=2025-01-28 |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=tigaracecars.com}}{{Cite web |title=Embassy WF01 - Racing Sports Cars |url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/type/Embassy/WF01.html |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=www.racingsportscars.com}}{{Cite web |title=Embassy WF01 - All Results - Racing Sports Cars |url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/type/results/Embassy/WF01.html |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=www.racingsportscars.com}} The car was named after the team owner Jonathan France's son, William.{{Cite web |title=2008 Embassy Racing WF01 Zytek - Images, Specifications and Information |url=https://www.ultimatecarpage.com/car/3412/Embassy-Racing-WF01-Zytek.html |access-date=2025-01-29 |website=Ultimatecarpage.com}}
Racing history
= 2008 =
Delivery of parts were delayed which meant that there was next to no testing done on the new car before the first round of the Le Mans Series. Two cars were brought to the opening round at Catalunya with drivers Mário Haberfeld and Warren Hughes in the #45 and Jonny Kane and Joey Foster in the #46. The #45 qualified 19th and the #46 qualified in 22nd.{{Cite web |title=Catalunya 1000 Kilometres 2008 - Qualifying Results - Racing Sports Cars |url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/results/qualifying/Barcelona-2008-04-06.html |access-date=2025-01-29 |website=www.racingsportscars.com}} In the race, a steering component failed on one car with the other retiring as a safety precaution.{{Cite web |title=1000 km de Catalunya |url=http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/race.php?raceid=13366 |access-date=2025-01-29 |website=www.ultimateracinghistory.com}}
At the following race at Monza, Embassy Racing finished eighth in class to score its first points with the WF01. The other car was running in the podium positions before stopping with 30 minutes left in the race.{{Cite web |title=1000 km di Monza |url=http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/race.php?raceid=13370 |access-date=2025-01-29 |website=www.ultimateracinghistory.com}}
The 1000 km of Spa was a tumultuous race for the car. Joey Foster crashed the #46 car on the warm-up lap and the #45 retired with a similar problem from the last race.{{Cite web |date=May 11, 2008 |title=LMS Spa - First Hour |url=http://archive2.dailysportscar.com/viewArticle.cfm@articleUID=D786BF48-1143-FDC9-35CCCDBB6EEF0C69.html |access-date=2025-01-29 |website=archive2.dailysportscar.com}}{{Cite web |title=1000 km de Spa |url=http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/race.php?raceid=13374 |access-date=2025-01-29 |website=www.ultimateracinghistory.com}}
The lineup for the 2008 24 Hours of Le Mans was announced on May 13. One car was entered with drivers Warren Hughes, Jonny Kane and Joey Foster.{{Cite web |date=May 13, 2008 |title=All British Line-Up For Embassy At LM 24 Hours |url=http://archive2.dailysportscar.com/viewArticle.cfm@articleUID=E413AD48-1143-FDC9-35FC223D263DB99E.html |access-date=2025-01-29 |website=archive2.dailysportscar.com}} The car qualified 24th overall with a time of 3:39.926.{{Cite web |title=Le Mans 24 Hours 2008 - Qualifying Results - Racing Sports Cars |url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/results/qualifying/Le_Mans-2008-06-15.html |access-date=2025-01-29 |website=www.racingsportscars.com}} During the race, the car would run into a multitude of issues beginning with an ECU problem that was fixed once it was recycled.{{Cite web |date=June 15, 2008 |title=Le Mans 24 Hours - Hours 4-6 |url=http://archive2.dailysportscar.com/viewArticle.cfm@articleUID=87D353E3-1143-FDC9-356430051228C241.html |access-date=2025-01-29 |website=archive2.dailysportscar.com}} Later on, the starter motor had to be replaced which cost the team 21 minutes in the pits rejoining the race in 35th.{{Cite web |date=June 15, 2008 |title=Le Mans 24 Hours - Hours 7-9 |url=http://archive2.dailysportscar.com/viewArticle.cfm@articleUID=888F76E9-1143-FDC9-357AE52671E19C98.html |access-date=2025-01-29 |website=archive2.dailysportscar.com}} Joey Foster had an accident at the second chicane on the Mulsanne which resulted in damage to the front and rear of the car. The car was brought back to the pits but was subsequently retired after 17 hours.{{Cite web |date=June 15, 2008 |title=Le Mans 24 Hours - Hours 16-18 |url=http://archive2.dailysportscar.com/viewArticle.cfm@articleUID=8A7BCCC1-1143-FDC9-3547B54DFBB25F32.html |access-date=2025-01-29 |website=archive2.dailysportscar.com}}{{Cite web |title=24 Heures du Mans |url=http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/race.php?raceid=13386 |access-date=2025-01-29 |website=www.ultimateracinghistory.com}}
The following race at the Nürburgring, the car would achieve its highest career finish with Darren Manning and Joey Foster finishing 11th overall and fourth in class.{{Cite web |title=Internationales ADAC 1000km-Rennen Nürburgring |url=http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/race.php?raceid=13378 |access-date=2025-01-29 |website=www.ultimateracinghistory.com}}
In the final race of the Le Mans Series season at Silverstone, the #45 car was running in podium positions but after a pit stop, Jonny Kane missed the red light at the end of the pit lane and received a five minute post-race time penalty, dropping them to fifth in class.{{Cite web |date=September 14, 2008 |title=LMS Silverstone - To The Finish |url=http://archive2.dailysportscar.com/viewArticle.cfm@articleUID=61897B20-1143-FDC9-35322C33072EFACE.html |access-date=2025-01-29 |website=archive2.dailysportscar.com}}{{Cite web |title=Autosport 1000 km of Silverstone |url=http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/race.php?raceid=13382 |access-date=2025-01-29 |website=www.ultimateracinghistory.com}} Despite the promising results in its debut season, the team folded two weeks later.{{Cite web |date=July 28, 2014 |title=Embassy Racing: a shooting star |url=https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/embassy-racing-a-shooting-star-16545 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250129044947/https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/embassy-racing-a-shooting-star-16545 |archive-date=2025-01-29 |access-date=2025-01-29 |website=24h-lemans.com |language=en}}
= 2009 =
The car made one last appearance at the season finale of the Le Mans Series at Silverstone. Team WFR received support from multiple sponsors to run the race with drivers, Warren Hughes, Darren Manning and Jody Firth. They would finish 14th overall and fourth in class.{{Cite web |title=1000 Km of Silverstone |url=http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/race.php?raceid=17577 |access-date=2025-01-29 |website=www.ultimateracinghistory.com}}