Isotta Fraschini Hypercar: Is it all over?

[FIRE]

I don't think they will return.

[TF110]

They WANT to return, but desire is always there for Le Mans. Too bad, I hoped it'd score a point at least.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by FIRE

I don't think they will return.

It just seems a huge waste to throw it all down the drain after one part season.

[flatlandsman]

The thing is if you have enough money to consider a WEC Hypercar programme, you probably have enough money to go 963 or something better than an IF. I think there are people who would consider the challenge, but it is a huge challenge, you would pick up fans obviously but that does not mean results, look at Mr James, he has gone the whole hog and pushed Aston into a Hypercar thing that is the kind of person you need, someone to drive it on with the acumen to do it properly, it would need a huge development budget to make that car improve as I am sure it would, but again a 963 costs so much to run and lease, OK it is never yours unless you buy it outright (not sure if you even can) but you would need to double the purchase price of an IF to develop it, then recruit decent drivers, a team to run it, it's clear the two teams who did got exasperated with the whole thing.

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

It just seems a huge waste to throw it all down the drain after one part season.

But you need deep pockets. If I had them I would go for the Porsches.

[broadrun96]

Yeah but some would rather build their own toy than buy one off the shelf. But one must have the money to fully fund and compete and you see what Glickenhaus had to do to be reasonably competitive against only 1 other team. Once the GTPs came around they fell back quickly without development

[NaBUru38]

Financial questions aside, it's clear that the FIA and ACO don't give a damn about specialty manufacturers.

[tomcug]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Yeah but some would rather build their own toy than buy one off the shelf. But one must have the money to fully fund and compete and you see what Glickenhaus had to do to be reasonably competitive against only 1 other team. Once the GTPs came around they fell back quickly without development

It's true but Glick finished Le Mans in 6th against multiple factory cars from major OEMs, 7 laps down. While Isotta's car finished 14th, 9 laps down despite a flood of safety cars (pun intended) that were bunching things up. Also the Isotta was more off pace in qualifying than the 007 LMH was. So let's give it the credit it deserves They even had an evo kit ready, just never manufactured due to tight budget. That was a proper effort and the same can't be said about Kolles and (sadly) Isotta as well. To waste cash that you don't have much on development of both the engine and the hybrid, in order to later be even more dependent on paydrivers... not the way to go.

[Gerard C]

When you see that after c five years of development and racing with two different cars Peugeot can't achieve a good result it gives an idea of what it takes to be better than Toyota in the LMH field. IF didn't go for the easiest way.

[v8supes]

Yeah but this is the problem with the current rules of locked in homologation. If you dont get the initial car right (see Peugeot) Then you are screwed because you cant develop the car outside of "jokers" and the BOP system doesn't seem to make huge changes in performance (which is a good thing imo).

[Tique]

The whole IF story looks like they were having a funding issue. They have jumped from Vector to Duqueine. As not enought money, silver drivers have been involed. There motorsport responable has gone a couple of weeks ago and now, they are bailing out. It is a shame. Michelotto had done a good work but developing and making the car. Let see if Michelloto can find an other outlet for it

[tomcug]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

When you see that after c five years of development and racing with two different cars Peugeot can't achieve a good result it gives an idea of what it takes to be better than Toyota in the LMH field. IF didn't go for the easiest way.

It's true they were ambitious, no one can take it away from them. But as I said, to be that ambitious you need to have a decent budget that these guys clearly didn't have...

[flatlandsman]

I really do not think it was that bad, the car was fairly reliable with two really average drivers in it, they might have done OK with better. I simply think that early on they thought someone big firm going to come in and fund the whole thing, and that never came so both operators have just had to quit.

I dont think we really know of the car is any good as it has probably had hardly any development and certainly none by good solid drivers

[TF110]

Originally Posted by v8supes

Yeah but this is the problem with the current rules of locked in homologation. If you dont get the initial car right (see Peugeot) Then you are screwed because you cant develop the car outside of "jokers" and the BOP system doesn't seem to make huge changes in performance (which is a good thing imo).

You can, but you can only do 2. So if you make a new car it better be right.

[joeb]

Michelotto expects the car to be on the grid next season. All they need is somebody to pay for it and run it......

https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/...-grid-in-2025/

[tomcug]

“I think there is great interest in LMH and LMDh among teams. My point of view is that there is an 80 percent possibility of being back on the grid next year.”

Now that's what I call an overdose of optimism.

Originally Posted by joeb

All they need is somebody to pay for it and run it......

Time to hire 6 paying silvers instead of just 2

[Gerard C]

Yes it sounds optimistic but if they can have another entry for 2025, which is TBC by instances, there's hope. Michelotto are not newcomers and they say the eight-year agreement is still valid.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by joeb

Michelotto expects the car to be on the grid next season. All they need is somebody to pay for it and run it......

https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/...-grid-in-2025/

By that logic I'm ready to enter MX-5 next season, just need to find someone to pay for it and run it

[FIRE]

...

Industry sources have suggested too that a significant single-seater team has shown significant interest in acquiring the Isotta Fraschini programme, but at present, this appears to be a plan that has not progressed past exploratory talks. Michelotto though remains keen to see if it can source a programme for their LMH platform if at all possible.

...

https://www.dailysportscar.com/2024/...committee.html

[Articus]

Originally Posted by FIRE

https://www.dailysportscar.com/2024/...committee.html

Could that be Prema?

[Gerard C]

Could be a good option imo! They already had some drivers like Gasly, Ocon, Giovanazzi, Fuoco, Stroll, Zhou, N de Vries, M Schumacher, Schwartzman, Piastri, Sargeant, Kubica and kvyat and they do know the Mercedes engines and the LMP2 Oreca car. But if Proton enters two cars only one place will be left if I'm right. Could the FIA/ACO make an exception?

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by Articus

Could that be Prema?

Prema and Iron Lynx have same owner.

I thought of Rodin.

In recent past ART showed also some interest in endurance racing.

[Graham Goodwin]

Originally Posted by Articus

Could that be Prema?

Well, since Prema and Iron Lynx are effectively the same team that would be a no!

[flatlandsman]

I seriously doubt an outfit with the WEC presence of Prema would be getting involved in a project such as this, to be honest it is possibly what IF needs, a team of this stature to hopefully employ better drivers, have a decent enough group of experienced engineers to try and get the thing to a better level.

But it would be a bit like Jota, United or the like taking it on, bit below their level I would say,