Isotta Fraschini Eyes Future Customer Car Program

Isotta Fraschini has expressed a desire to sell its Tipo 6 Competizione Le Mans Hypercar on a customer basis for use in the FIA World Endurance Championship.

The Italian boutique manufacturer joined the WEC grid this year with its new Michelotto-built contender, which made its debut in the Qatar 1812km season opener as part of a single-car factory effort run in conjunction with partner team Duqueine.

Isotta had been planning to run two cars in the Hypercar class from the outset of the project, but was ultimately granted only one spot on the grid this year for the No. 11 car shared by Jean-Karl Vernay, Antonio Serravalle and Carl Wattana Bennett.

While hopeful of a second factory car for 2025, Isotta Fraschini motorsport manager Claudio Berro also outlined an intent to supply the Tipo 6 to other teams in the same mould as Porsche customer squads Hertz Team JOTA and Proton Competition.

“Our project is a long-term project, and that includes customer teams,” Berro told Sportscar365 at Lusail.

“At the moment there are a lot of manufacturer teams on the grid, but the only manufacturer with true customer cars is Porsche. For us, we want to do the same and make our car available to customers. 

“A lot of people are interested, but they are just staying at the ‘window’ to see what happens. It’s human nature that everybody waits. But I’m confident.”

Any customer Isotta Fraschini effort for 2025 would be subject to being granted a grid slot by the WEC amid a potential expansion of the overall size of the grid to 40 cars, of which 22 would be Hypercar entries.

Berro added that he is convinced of the merits of multiple teams running Isotta Fraschini machinery, with the Italian marque having originally planned to go into its first season with two cars being run by different organizations, Duqueine and Vector Sport.

“Our first project was to run two cars,” explained Berro. “It was not our decision to run one car. We understand there are a lot of Hypercars, and the WEC told us it was better to run with one car for the first season and then for the future we’ll see.

“From a sporting point of view, it’s good to have the same car with two different teams to learn and have some honest competition. You see it for example with [Porsche’s factory team] Penske and JOTA. It’s a good challenge.

“But we understand the WEC’s decision [to grant a single entry] because we are a small team and it’s our first season. We will try to have another car next season, although it’s still a bit early to know what will happen.”

Isotta Fraschini had originally done a deal with Vector Sport to run the Tipo 6 in the WEC in 2024, but was then obliged to choose between the British outfit and Duqueine when it became clear it would only be granted a single entry.

“We started to discuss with Duqueine in July last year, when we had two cars planned in our project,” said Berro. “But when we were told it was only one [entry], unfortunately we had to make a decision. And I think we made a good decision.”