Gone Too Fast
Isotta Fraschini's FIA WEC Hypercar story has ended, at least for now. It wrapped up a few chapters too soon.
In motorsport, every team works to win. But the path to victory is formed by progress.
It may be a few tenths faster on a pit stop or an out lap or a smart strategy call to gain track position on a few competitors. Watching a team push to get a little better every time its car hits the track can be as compelling as monitoring a fight for a spot on the podium.
From that perspective, the upcoming FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) show at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas will be missing a little something.
Isotta Fraschini, the first-year team that quickly established itself as the lovable underdog in an increasingly competitive Hypercar class, will not be at COTA.
The Italian team, technically a partnership between the Italian luxury car brand and veteran French endurance competitor Duqueine, confirmed August 22 that its season is over. The announcement was hardly expected; it came as Isotta's Tipo 6 Competizione No. 11 Hypercar was en route to Texas.
The team's official statement leaves a lot unsaid. It cites an apparent breakdown between Isotta and Duqueine. It also suggests that Isotta's motorsport adventure will continue in some form.
What is clear: a compelling 2024 WEC season storyline ended too soon.
Isotta's roots date back to 1899. The luxury car brand stopped making cars in the late 1940s and was not much more than a trade name on the Italian business registry for decades. In 2022, the marque was reborn as a carmaker, with an eye on competing in the WEC and its marquee 24 Hours of Le Mans event.
Isotta presented its LMh prototype in October 2022. Built by long-time Ferrari partner Michelotto, the car was to debut in 2023, but several issues pushed its first race to this season.
Once the on-track action started, the team with the tiny budget by Hypercar standards not only knew exactly where it stood, it embraced the role.
“We’re David against Goliath, the Little Thumbling, the little constructor,” lead driver Jean-Karl Vernay said back in March. “It is all the more motivating and exciting.”
As well-funded teams backed by familiar names including Ferrari, Porsche, BMW, and Toyota set their sights on podiums and titles, Isotta relished in each step up the ladder.
When the Tipo 6 No. 11 dropped out of its debut race in Qatar, team officials highlighted its "good laps."
The team's home race in Imola brought its first checkered flag. The result--a 17th place finish in Hypercar, eight laps behind its closest competitor--was cause for celebration.
"Seeing the checkered flag was very important," said then-Motorsport Director Claudio Berro.
Another checkered flag at Spa, this time just three laps behind the leaders and one lap back of the next-closest Hypercar, showed Isotta's progress.
That set the stage for what currently stands as Isotta's crowning WEC achievement.
The team's 24 Hours of Le Mans debut was, in Berro's words, “flawless.” The Tipo 6 No. 11 not only finished the race, but came home 14th in class, out-lasting nine other Hypercars--"all extremely prestigious names," the team noted in its post-race wrap-up.
The positive vibes kept flowing at WEC's Round 5 in mid-July at Interlagos. Isotta shared a graphic comparing its qualifying times to those of the pole winners for each race. In Brazil, the gap was just 1.6 seconds--the narrowest yet.
An electrical problem put the No. 11 out early on race day, but qualifying was enough to give the team more confidence.
“We’re closing the gap race-by-race,” said Motorsport Director Miguel Valldecabres, who took over for Berro in early July. “The fact that we’re closing the gap, learning as we go, makes us very happy and we look forward to a promising future!”
Next up was COTA. And then it wasn't.
Dailysportscar was first to report that Isotta was done—news the team soon confirmed.
“Following a productive debut season, highlighted by a successful finish at the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans, the car brand has decided to redirect its resources toward restructuring its motorsports program and expanding its track and road car initiatives,” the team said. “The company also thanks the WEC and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest for their support and hopes for a possible return in the near future.”
Isotta's spot on the grid will not go unfilled. The WEC has plenty of interest in what figures to be a 20-car Hypercar grid in 2025. Aston Martin is coming onboard and several major names, among them McLaren and Mercedes, do not have Hypercar programs.
Whomever replaces Isotta on the grid will no doubt be better funded. Thanks to WEC's rule that each manufacturer must enter at least two cars, they also will have at least one sibling to help share data and lessons learned.
There's little doubt Isotta's departure will result in a more competitive Hypercar class.
Absent a bona fide underdog, it may not necessarily be better.
Programming note: On Motorsport will be on location at COTA for FIA WEC Round 6, so keep an eye on your inbox!
References
Isotta's official statement--https://isottafraschini.com/end-of-the-season/?lang=en
David against Golaith--https://www.fiawec.com/en/news/jean-karl-vernay-isotta-fraschini-were-david-against-goliath/7894
Qatar debut--https://isottafraschini.com/isotta-fraschinis-first-fia-wec-experience-ends-early/?lang=en
First checkered flag:—https://isottafraschini.com/first-checkered-flag-of-the-season/?lang=en
Le Mans finish--https://isottafraschini.com/24-hours-of-joy/?lang=en
Berro's departure--https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/berro-departs-isotta-fraschini/
DSC's exclusive--https://www.dailysportscar.com/2024/08/21/isotta-to-park-hypercar-programme-with-immediate-effect.html
Two-car Hypercar mandate--https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/wec-confirms-two-car-hypercar-mandate-for-2025/
More from On Motorsport
'Trouble In Turn 9'
The WEC's stellar Full Access series offers a rare inside look at how race stewards deliberate incidents and possible rules violations.
'Golden Era' Time
Many international sports car stakeholders have been talking up the imminent rise in top-class racing around the world--a venerable new "golden era" of prototype competition. It's here.
One Winless Wonder
The Porsche 917 inscribed as chassis no. 024 never won a race. It never even turned a lap in a money-paying event. Records show it ran competitively at only three tracks--all test sessions...
Really gonna miss them.