A few days ago, on August 21st to be precise, the WEC paddock was shaken by news that broke the hearts of many fans and insiders: Isotta Fraschini, through its official channels, announced its immediate withdrawal from the championship, just over a week after the Lone Star Le Mans.
Among other things, this happened just a few days after another important piece of news concerning the Lombardy house which had already alerted certain people, that is the departure of Claudio Berro, father of the LMH project.
The decision seems to be based on disagreements with Duqueine, the team that manages the vehicle on the track.
But it wouldn't be the first time that something like this has happened at Isotta Fraschini. In fact, even before the start of the season, there was a break with the previous partner, Vector Sport, who had denounced the failure to respect the contractual agreements regarding data sharing and development of the car.
Well, it seems that in this case the reverse process occurred, with Duqueine who did not respect the agreements regarding drivers and on-track testing, and according to motorsport.com it seems that the dispute could end up in court.
But today we are not here to talk only about the abrupt ending of this short adventure.
We are here to retrace the history of a project as risky as it is fascinating, which perhaps will remain - after the recent attempts of Glickenhaus and Vanwall - the last bastion of "romanticism" in a world increasingly oriented towards money and spectacle.
A bit of history
It all began towards the end of 2022, when the historic Isotta Fraschini brand - which had fallen into disrepair and was then revived by a group of entrepreneurs in the recent past - announced the Tipo 6 LMH-C, a prototype built to race in the WEC, starting in 2023.
The project, despite the limited budget, seemed solid: Claudio Berro was put in charge, while the construction and development of the car were entrusted to Michelotto Engineering, a company of absolute excellence in the sector.
The team chosen to accompany the Milanese company in its debut season was Vector Sport, which would have thus made the leap from the LMP2 class to Hypercars, while the expert Jean-Karl Vernay was chosen as the lead driver.
In addition to the Tipo 6 LMH-C, the project also featured the Tipo 6 LMH Strada and Pista, intended for the customer market.
A few words about the vehicle
After having briefly illustrated the "backstage" and the protagonists, it is time to take a moment to talk about the other main figure of the story, the Tipo 6 LMH-Competizione.
Because this is where the surprises come in.
In fact, if Glickenhaus and Vanwall had decided to propose prototypes powered solely by a thermal engine, also with a view to reducing costs, in the powertrain field Isotta Fraschini has decided to dare, bringing a hybrid LMH prototype to the track.
An undoubtedly courageous decision, since the LMH platform is much more expensive than its "sister" LMDh, but on paper it leaves more room for development.
For the thermal unit, the choice falls on a turbo V6 - developed in-house by HWA and Michelotto - which, as mentioned, was flanked by the 200kW front hybrid system designed by Williams Advanced Engineering, a branch of the Formula 1 team specializing in systems of this type.
To complete the picture, we find a Brembo braking system, Xtrac gearbox, Multimatic suspensions and Bosch-derived electronics.
Sports season
The debut, initially scheduled for mid-2023, is postponed to the 1812 km of Qatar, the opening stage of the 2024 season, to ensure the right timing for the long development and homologation phases.
But it is precisely here that the first problems arise: in fact, as previously mentioned, at the end of 2023 there is the sudden break with Vector Sport, which is hastily replaced by Duqueine. This leads, among other things, to some delays on the roadmap, but the top management of the parent company does not want alarmism.
The final line-up is made official: alongside the expert Vernay there will be two young "Silver" drivers, Carl Bennett and Antonio Serravalle, probably in terms of costs and sponsorship.
Right from the start, the project has received great support and admiration from fans, mindful of the very recent experiences of Glickenhaus and Vanwall and hopeful of seeing a new light of motorsports "romance" on the world endurance championship stage.
But despite this, the season is shaping up to be a tough one: the Hypercar grid is the largest ever and is left without any "small" manufacturers to fight with, after the goodbyes of just Vanwall and Glickenhaus at the end of last year.
Isotta Fraschini's idea was simple: take advantage of the first few races to learn and let the young and inexperienced Bennett and Serravalle, with the support of a seasoned Vernay, gain experience, and then develop the car to the fullest.
Initial difficulties
But even before starting, came another blow, this time bearing the name of BoP. For the first race in Qatar the Type 6 LMH-C was forced to run on a weight of 1085 kg, with the 55 kg of ballast making it the second heaviest car of the lot, just 4 kg behind the Toyota.
However, this is not to be seen solely as a bad thing: it means that Isotta Fraschini-Michelotto's aeromechanical platform has shown excellent signs during homologation, and such a strict Balance of Performance is proof of that.
In fairness, it should also be said that Qatar's was probably the worst calibrated BoP in recent history, with LMHs far too heavily weighted compared to LMDhs, but nevertheless the above remains absolutely valid.
Word of caution: growth
In the rounds that followed, also thanks to a lightened Balance of Performance and the development and optimization work of the package by engineers and mechanics, the performance of the Tipo 6 LMH-C continued to improve race by race, with the gaps from the top getting smaller and smaller, but the Italian hypercar's greatest asset was undoubtedly its reliability, which for a project of this kind should definitely not be taken for granted.
This quality was further confirmed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, where Isotta Fraschini had no problem crossing the finish line, unlike other far more emblazoned manufacturers such as Alpine, which saw both of its Mecachrome-derived V6s go up in smoke after less than 6 hours.
The goodness of the project is further confirmed by the parent company's firm resolve to build a second car to adapt to the new WEC regulations, which require all manufacturers to bring at least two prototypes to the track starting next season.
Difficulties with Duqueine
The most serious problem that plagued the Tipo 6 LMH-C, however, beyond the car, was the lack of on-track testing, which limited its understanding and development.
Unlike all the other teams, Duqueine's men never took the red-blue LMH out for testing, which would have been essential for such a young project and such inexperienced drivers as Bennett and Serravalle.
This was also confirmed several times by "captain" Vernay, and it seems that it was this aspect that made the greatest contribution to the irremediable rift between the French team and its parent company, although the real dynamics - of course - only they know.
The breakup culminated in the sad and, if you will, unexpected announcement of withdrawal from the current championship, with the equipment already on its way to Austin for the next race.
Uncertain future
Now the future of the Milanese manufacturer is unknown. According to some rumors, several teams have been approached to bring the two Tipo 6 LMH-Cs to the track next year, but negotiations, as of today, remain stuck in a deadlock.
In addition, available spots on the grid are beginning to run out, with the entries of second cars from Cadillac and Lamborghini and the arrival of two new Aston Martin Valkyrie cars increasingly seeming to close the doors for a possible return of Isotta Fraschini in 2025.
In short, barring some miracle, the São Paulo 6 Hours will remain the swan song of the #11 Type 6 LMH-C in the WEC.
"Don't cry because it’s over, smile because it happened," García Márquez would say in such cases.
Thank you for everything Isotta Fraschini, we hope to see you again soon.
From the heart, from all of us motorsport romantics.t.
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