isof1

In 1973 Iso entered the world of Formula One. The idea came from Iso's sales manager who had met Frank Williams on a car show. They managed to get Philip Morris and Piero Rivolta interested in the same idea and the Iso Marlboro Formula One Team was born. After working for the DeTomaso Formula One Team, March and racing his own Politoys formula one car Frank Williams was now working together with Iso.

Cars changed at lot during the 2 years !!

They started with the intention of participating in every race to gain experience and publicity for the team. The car was a modified 1972 (Williams Politoys) chassis and Iso knew it would be hard to score championship points. At least many said they had one of the best looking cars in the field!

At the start of the 1973 competition the drivers were Italian Nanni Gali and Howden Ganley from New Zealand. Other drivers that year were Pretorious, Pescarolo, McRae (who crashed his car, photo), Van Lennep, Schenken and even Jacky Ickx!

Best result came from Ganley, 7th in Brazil, Dutch driver Van Lennup, 6th at Zandvoort, and Ickx, 7th in the US and Ganley 6th in Canada. The first four races were run with the FX3 chassis and in Spain Iso introduced the Iso Marlboro Ford IR. Engine was for both models the famous Ford Cosworth V8.

In 1974 drivers were Merzario and Belso. Merzario was the number one driver and he stayed with the team the whole year. His best result was 4th in Italy, and he qualified 3th in South Africa finishing 6th. The other car was driven by many drivers: Van Lennep, Robarts, Jabouille and Lafitte.

Iso Marlboro IR

Engine: Ford Cosworth DFV (90.V8) 85,7x64,8mm 2990cc 460hp / 10.500 rpm.

Transmission: Hewland FG 400 5-speed + R

Weight: 576kg

Drawing by G.Piola

John Clarke was the designer of the first Iso, in 1973. Before this project John worked in the March design. One of the highlights of the Iso design were the lateral radiators behind the front wheels. In 1974 the designer was the italian Gianpaolo Dallara. Before this, Dallara designed the Lamborghini Miura and the Lancia Stratos. Dallara changed the radiator and made other improvements. Iso scored two points in 1973: The first with Lennep (in Holland) and another with Ganley in Canada (6ºplace). Jabouille did not qualify to start in France, 1974 with theison º21. Pretorious did not finish the South African GP with the Iso nº20. Mcrae either in the British GP with the Iso nº26. Galli started five times in 1973: 2 with FX3b (Argentine and Brasil n36and 20) and 3 with IR 1 (Spain, Belgian and Monaco n 24,26 and 26). He just finished 2 times: 9º in Brasil and 11º in Spain. Belso just practiced in the 1973 Swedish GP. Ganley drove in race. In 1974 Belso had n.21 and started in the South African and Swedish GP. He did not qualify in Spanish and British GP. He finished only one race (8º) in Sweden. Robarts just practiced in Swedish GP 1974. His car was driven by TomBelso. Laffite ran 5 races in 1974 (German, Austrian, Italian, Canadian and USAGP). He finished 15º in Canadian (6 laps behind) and 17 laps behind in the Austrian GP. The others he did not finish. In 1975 he practiced in 12 GP (Argentine, Brasil, South African, Monaco, Belgian, Dutch, French, British, German, Austrian, Italian and USA). The first three with the model 02 and the anothers with the 04. He did not start in Monaco and USA when he got petrol in eyes !!! His best result was the 2ºplace in German GP!! He finished 2 races (11º in Brasil and in French GP). The number 21 is Jacques Laffite in his first race in the F1 (German 1974) with the Iso 02.

Gijs van Lennep: He practiced in 5 GP's with Iso.1973: Dutch GP (6º his first point), Austrian GP (9º), Italian GP (retired: overheating). (all with 1R´s model nº26). 1974: Belgian GP (14º with nº21 - model 02). Dutch GP (did not qualify 01 nº21). François Migault (BRM) was the last on THE GRID (25ºtime) with 1'22"34. Tim Schenken (Trojan T103-1 nº23) took 1'22"65 and Gijs 1"22"68. Tim Schenken: started with the ISO 1R nº26, in the 1973 CANADIAN GP. He finished in 14º, 5 laps behind the winner, because he had a pit stop to change tyres. Jacky Ickx started just one race too. It was the 1973 USA GP. He finished 7º with the 1R model nº26, 1 lap behind the winner. Howden Ganley practiced 15 races in 1973 with ISO: Argentina (finished 17 laps behind - pit stop), Brasil (7º - 1 lap behind), South African (10º- pit stop - puncture 6 laps behind), Spanish( retired - out of fuel), Belgian (retired: throttle stuck/accident), Monaco (retired: driveshaft), Swedish (11º 3 laps behind), France (14º 3 laps behind), British (9º 1 lap behind), Dutch (9º collision with Lauda / pit stop 4 laps behind), German (did not start- practice accident), Austrian (pitstop 10 laps behind), Italian (pit stop eleven laps behind), Canadian (6º 1 lap behind. Look at the photo with pace car) and USA (12º - pit stop 2 laps behind). The first with the FX3B model nº38,19 and 21. The others races, he ran with the 1R model. His number in Spain was 23 and the other was 25.

Arturo Merzario: He practced 15 races with ISO in 1974: MODEL iso car model Iso car 01 Argentina (retired: engine), Brasil (retired: dirt in throttle slides) South African (6º), Spanish (retired: hit and vaulted barrier), Belgian (retired: driveshaft), Monaco (retired: multiple accident), (practice), Swedish (did not start unwell), Dutch (retired: gearbox), France (9º 1 lap behind), British (retired: engine), (Practice), German (retired: throttle linkage), Austrian (retired: fuel pressure), Italian (4º), Canadian (retired: handing) and USA (retired: extinguisher caused electrical short. ). All races with nº20. In Italy, Merzario won the Jo Siffert Premiun (the best bravure of the race). Spanish, his car crashed (after the steering cracked) and stopped on top of the legs of a man. The extintor started and people thought that was a tragedy with fire !! Everybody was OK with no serious injuries !!! They left the place walking !!!

This photo is taken at the 1973 Canadian GP.The pace Car (Safety car today) in front H.Ganley, J.Stewart, E.Fittipaldi. The leader at that moment was J.P.Beltoise and the pace car (driver by Eppie Wietzes!!!!!) was completely lost!! He did not know who was the leader!!! The car on the other photo (nº24) was NANNI GALLI in the Spanish GP. He took a pit stop with a cooling problem and finished in 11º place 6 laps behind.

The Canadian GP

1973 Canadian GP: Howden Ganley, Carlos Reutemann (Brabham BT42 nº10), Peter Revson (McLaren M23 nr 8) and Jackie Stewart (Tyrrell 006 nr5) going to pit.

ISO1974 South African GP: Arturo Merzario (How could Merzario see the track !! He drove with the head down very below in the cockipit. His driven style was exclusive and very unique !!!) and Dennis Hulme (Mclaren M23 nº6).

The Dutch GP

ISO 1974 DUTCH GP nr2: James Hunt (Hesketh 308) nr16: Tom Pryce (Shadow DN3) nr27: Guy Edwards (Lola HU) nr19: Jochen Mass (Surtees TS16) nr2 Jacky Ickx (Lotus 72) nr14: Jean Pierre Beltoise (BRM P201) nr22: Vern Schuppan (Ensig MN02) nr 26: Graham Hill (Lola HU) and , and, and .... nr20: Arturo Merzario (ISO FW02) - LAST ON RIGHT.

The Dutch GP

ISO (Watson and Merzario): This battle took place during the 1974 Dutch Grandprix at the Zandvoort circuit.

The Spanish GP

The 1974 Spanish Grandprix: Lap 10 - nr20: A.Merzario (ISO FW03) nr56: Dennis Hulme (Mc Laren M23) nr17 J.P. Jarier (Shadow DN3) nr9 Hans Stuck (March 741) - Here they are fighting over the 7th position.


Arturo Merzario (South African GP 1974)	Arturo Merzario (Brazilian GP 1974 - Interlagos).


Belso (I)	Jaboulle (F)	Gijs van Lennep (NL)	Lafitte (F)	Pretorius (F)	Galli (I)


Arturo Merzario (I)	Jackie Ickx (B)	Gijs van Lennep (NL)	Howden Ganley (NZ)	Henri Pescarolo (F)	Tim Schenken (AUS)