Italian boutique car maker Isotta Fraschini has stunned the WEC by pulling out of the hypercar category for the sixth round of the championship scheduled at Austin. The departure of the Italian marque in what is an eight-round season is mainly due to an impasse with the Duqueine Team, which took charge of Isotta’s Tipo 6-Competizione.
Strategic Shift Amidst Dispute
Legal action is to be taken against Duqueine by Isotta Fraschini, but for now, the management of Isotta has decided to suspend its endurance racing activities. The company intends to focus its resources on the growth of its track and road car strategies.
Several key executives voiced similar sentiments about the accomplishments of the first season, about the honor and great feeling of racing in WEC, especially in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Every single member of the team, and Miguel Valldecabres, the Director of Motorsport and the CEO of Isotta Fraschini, said, “This very difficult decision was not taken lightly, but it allows us to build on our experiences, promoting the growth of our brand and the development of our products in both the racing and hypercar markets.”
He highlighted the strategic necessity of preserving resources to ensure the continuity of their project. Isotta wants to expand itself in the racing and supercar markets. Hence, they are working hard on their projects.
Development Struggles of Isotta Fraschini
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After a string of problems all through the season, Isotta Fraschini withdraws from the race. Duqueine Team succeeded Vector Sports as Isotta’s factory team in November 2023, on the eve of the Tipo 6-Competizione’s race in Qatar. The collaboration involved car racer Jean-Karl Vernay, along with promising talents Antonio Serravalle and Carl Wattana Bennett; the latter provided financing for the sponsorship. Nevertheless, Bennett was signed onto the roster a mere three weeks before the start of the season, having been signed to replace the initial signing of Garcia.
While the concept was not well tested before the start of the season, Michelotto Engineering provided support in the development of the LMH hybrid contender, Isotta. The team finished in a credible 14th position on their first attempt at the Le Mans 24 Hours in June and did not record a single mechanical failure during the whole race. But the lack of testing on the track and Duqueine’s absence of contribution to it broke the collaboration.
Future Uncertainty and Grid Impact
Now, the fate of the manufacturer is not quite clear for the WEC: what will happen after Isotta Fraschini? The series forces manufacturers to provide two cars for the following season, and if no solution is found, Isotta might have its places on the grid occupied by privateer teams with customer cars.
In a post-season message of appreciation, Isotta Fraschini thanked its sponsors, the drivers, the partners, and the fans for their support in the first season of the competition. The company also wanted to say thank you to the WEC and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) for their support and hopes to come back next year. After Isotta could not participate anymore, the Hypercar grid will consist of 18 cars for the rest of the year.
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