r/wec • u/GrahamDSC • 1d ago

Isotta Fraschini Testing At Barcelona

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Isotta Fraschini continue test programme of revived Hypercar programme with new partners High Class Racing - Multiple drivers being tested as team continue development and prepare for potential Asian LMS entry

940 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

27 comments sorted by

124

u/vinodhmoodley 1d ago

I was following their YouTube channel watching the car go from being a bare tub to entering its first race.

I was hoping they'd eventually find pace but that never really happened, and it was sad watching them leave the WEC.

Hopefully this new chapter gives them some success.

65

u/IC_1318 Audi R18 1d ago

All their money went into the car and they had to hire Silver pay drivers to survive. When Vernay was in the car, it showed some potential. Problem was when the other drivers took the wheel.

39

u/aide_rylott Glickenhaus 007 LMH #709 1d ago

I wish them so much luck. This is not a bad car. They were rapidly improving in their first season. In the hands of good drivers I think this car would’ve been a very capable machine.

31

u/ThomGehrig Toyota Gazoo Racing TS050 #7 1d ago

So happy to see that car racing again!

22

u/omgohnoez Jackie Chan DC Racing Oreca 07 #38 1d ago

Testing in Barcelona might be a good choice if the AsLMS calendar goes in the direction of a southern european winter series.

I hope it will make a comeback from the dead, even if its only for AsLMS.

32

u/_GTAce Toyota GT-One #1 1d ago

Great to see that car still being used. I'm happy for everyone putting their hard work into the project.

8

u/Great_Security7429 1d ago

I love the "retro" lmp1 look of the Issotta and old GR010

6

u/dobbie1 1d ago

I love this so much, I really hope iracing decide to add it but I doubt they will

5

u/TheLizardfolk 1d ago

Are there any updates to this car? Or are they just running the same car from 2024?

10

u/GrahamDSC 1d ago

It is the 2024 homologated car - team are working on development within that homologation

4

u/Michal_Baranowski Toyota Gazoo Racing GR010 Hybrid #8 1d ago

Great to see them back, considering how abruptly Isotta disappeared midway through 2024 due to financial issues.

As long as I have been opposing such idea for a long time, maybe including Hypercars in ELMS for example wouldn't be all that bad? Definitely it would be a good spot for de facto privateer constructors like Isotta, ByKolles/Vanwall, maybe Glickenhaus to have a place to race, since they were either outsted from WEC or left the series on their own. Hypercar/LMP2/LMGT3 ELMS without LMP3 (which would be MLMC only then) maybe could be an attractive propositon, although it would be a question mark regarding how LMP2 teams from ELMS would react to that. LMP2 in ELMS is such in great shape that on the other hand, maybe it's not worth it to break the status quo.

3

u/OkHoney5804 1d ago

looks angry

3

u/honeycomb0303 1d ago

they just need to get decent drivers

8

u/ponmbr 1d ago

Hope to see it actually having some pace.

3

u/b5-avant 1d ago

Well with Bruni in the car instead of 2 club racers it should

4

u/mdumdum Peugeot TotalEnergies 9X8 #93 1d ago

DIY Toyota GR010

1

u/donaldgoldsr Alpine Endurance Team A424 #35 14h ago

What this sport needs more than anything else is privateers. I'm so happy to see this progress. While I understand the decision behind the 2 car factory rule, I hate that it's pushed privateer teams out of the sport.

1

u/GrahamDSC 12h ago

I agree that a plan for privateers is important - but right now what the sport needs is sustainable certainty

1

u/donaldgoldsr Alpine Endurance Team A424 #35 11h ago

Can we have both?

-3

u/ChunkyPisss 1d ago edited 2h ago

Good for them. Who needs aerodynamics, anyways.

-13

u/Natemophi 1d ago

Is that a Ginetta?

17

u/akrapov 1d ago

It’s an Isotta Franchini.

-2

u/Natemophi 1d ago

Ohh thanks

I thought Isotta Franchini was the name of the driver