FIA World Endurance Championship hopefuls Isotta Fraschini are still planning on race-by-race entries in the championship in 2023, the team has confirmed.
The company has said that, while it is saddened it has not been included on the full season entry list for 2023, its programme will continue as planned, with car assembly taking place now before a testing and development phase, with homologation for racing scheduled for later this year.
The Milanese manufacturer, in partnership with British-based team Vector Sport, then plans to enter races later in the season on a race-by-race basis, as part of the aforementioned testing and development programme.
The car, named the Tipo 6 LMH-C, is currently in build at manufacturers Michelotto — known for constructing Ferrari’s GT cars until recently. The chassis tub was delivered last week and the car is now being built up ahead of a planned rollout, although when that will happen is unclear.
“The disappointment is great, we don’t deny it, but this decision by the WEC Committee will stimulate us even more to demonstrate the technical capabilities of our company,” stated Claudio Berro, Isotta Fraschini’s motorsport managing director.
He added: “The plan doesn’t change, we will continue to develop and test the Tipo 6 LMH C together with the Vector team and then submit the homologation application on schedule.”
Meanwhile, Gary Holland, team principal of Vector Sport, added: “Obviously we are a little disappointed there was no place on the full-season grid but we now have much more time to enter into a full test and development programme for the new Tipo 6 LMH Competizione.
Continuing, he said: “This follows the example of other manufacturers in the recent past and we will be aiming to enter the car on a race-by-race basis later in the season, if accepted by the FIA and WEC”.
