Alpine: from Rally to Endurance racing

WECHyperCar

Nov 28

The Alpine car brand was created in 1954 by Jean Rédélé, a Renault dealer and rally driver after winning the “Critérium des Alpes” and “Liège-Rome-Liège” class. In 1955, he created the Alpine A106 who won number of success in rally. ln the late 60th, the Renault R8 Gordini became famous with several success and the A110 won the World Rally Championship in 1973 after squatting the whole podium at the Monte Carlo rally.

2013 debut in ELMS

In 2013 and 2014, Alpine partnered with Signatech to enter the #36 Oreca 03/Alpine Nissan, a Nissan-powered, Oreca-built prototype into the European Le Mans Series championship's LMP2 class. Signatech-Alpine won the team championship in 2013.

📷 © Luc Warnotte at 24 Hours of Le Mans 2013. Debuts in ELMS with #36 Oreca 03/Alpine Nissan.

WEC LMP2 from 2015 until 2020

In 2015, the Signatech-Alpine entered into the World Endurance Championship (WEC)'s LMP2 class with #36 Alpine A450B driven by Nelson Panciatici, Paul-Loup Chatin and Vincent Capillaire.

📷 © Luc Warnotte at 24 Hours of Le Mans 2015. Debuts in WEC with #36 Alpine A450B.

From 2016 to 2020, the Alpine A460 was entered in the LMP2 class by Signatech-Alpine-Matmut.

In 2016, the Signatech-Alpine #36 driven by Nicolas Lapierre, Gustavo Menezes et Stéphane Richelmi won the 24 Hours of Le Mans LMP2 class and ended fifth overall. That same year, they won the championship.

The #36 Alpine also won the 2018-2019 LMP2 championship after winning LMP2 class of the two 24 Hours of Le Mans editions (2018 and 2019) that same season with Nicolas Lapierre, André Negrao and Pierre Thiriet.

📷 © Luc Warnotte: left: At Spa-Francorchamps 2016; center: at 24 Hours of Le Mans 2018; right: at 24 Hours of Le Mans 2019.

2021 debut in WEC top class.

From 2021 to 2023, Alpine Elf Matmut challenged Toyota Gazoo Racing in the top class with the Alpine A480 based on the former Rebellion R13 to prepare a comeback in World Endurance Championship with two Hypercars.

The Alpine Elf Endurance Team in LMP ended its 11 years (2013-2023) adventure at the Bahrain International Circuit, November 4th.

📷 © Luc Warnotte at Le Mans, Portimao, Sebring and Spa-Francorchamps.

2024 with the A424 in Hypercar

The Alpine and Signatech teams took advantage of the 2023 winter to prepare their return to the Hypercar category with the Alpine A424. The two WEC prototypes were build on the LMDh rules with the running side managed again by Signatech. The A424 was developed based on the Oreca chassis and development assisted by Alpine Racing's Enstone operation; the engine development side is carried out by Alpine Racing's Viry-Châtillon base.

📷 © courtesy of Alpine at Portimao.

After successfull testing in Motorland Aragón and the homologation process, Alpine-Signatech announced two Alpine A424 and the official drivers ahead of two days test session at Portimao.

#35 with Paul-Loup Chatin, Charles Milesi and Ferdinand Habsburg.

#36 with Nicolas Lapierre and Matthieu Vaxiviere, joined by Mick Schumacher.
Reserve driver Jules Gounon.

Successful baptism of fire for the Alpine A424 in Qatar

📷 © Luc Warnotte at Qatar.

For its first race in the WEC circus, the #35 A424 driven by Ferdinand Habsburg, Charles Milesi and Paul-Loup Chatin crossed the line in ninth place (classified 8th with #83 disqualification) and first among the new manufacturers in the Hypercar category. Meanwhile, the #36 driven by Nicolas Lapierre, Mick Schumacher and Matthieu Vaxiviere was 13th (12th after #83 disqualification) after changing front-end bodywork damaged by contact in the field earlier on.

Fifth in manufacturers ranking after Imola

📷 © Luc Warnotte at Imola.

Jules Gounon was part of the #35 lineup to make up for the absence of Ferdinand Habsburg. Jules Gounon secured 13th place his prototype debut together with Charles Milesi and Paul-Loup Chatin. #36 driven by Nicolas Lapierre, Mick Schumacher and Matthieu Vaxiviere ended in 16th place.

Fourth in the Manufacturers' table after Spa

Jules Gounon, Charles Milesi and Paul-Loup Chatin with #35 Alpine A424 took ninth place. With those additional points, Alpine Endurance Team became fourth in the manufacturer ranking. Nicolas Lapierre, Mick Schumacher and Matthieu Vaxiviere with the #36 Alpine crossed the line in 12th place, less than 30 seconds outside the top ten.

Hyperpole qualification for “les bleus” at Le Mans

Fourth in Wednesday qualifying, Paul-Loup Chatin drove his #35 Alpine A424 to P6 of Hyperpole (the #35 crew did start fifth on the grid following a penalty to the #2 Cadillac at the TotalEnergies 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps). Nicolas Lapierre in the #36 ended Hyperpole in ninth.

After climbing to fourth place, the #35 A424 retired in hour five before the crew in the sister car was equally betrayed by mechanical issues.

Another top 10 at Sao Paulo

Mick Schumacher crossed checkered flag in 10th, sealing the first point of the season for the #36 Alpine A424 crew, two places ahead of the sister car.

Alpine A424 scored its best-ever result at Austin

With Ferdinand Habsburg-Charles Milesi-Paul-Loup Chatin crossing the line in fifth and Nicolas Lapierre-Mick Schumacher-Matthieu Vaxiviere ninth at Lone Star Le Mans, the Alpine Endurance Team scored its first top-five and both crews in the points. Alpine Endurance Team returned to fourth place in the FIA Hypercar World Endurance Manufacturers' Championship.

First podium at Fuji

Despite a chaotic start and two penalties the A424 scored its first podium result in the Hypercar category with Nicolas Lapierre, Mick Schumacher and Matthieu Vaxiviere in #36. Sister #35 finish in seventh place, 0.008s ahead of the #94 Peugeot.

Alpine Endurance Team finishes the season in fourth place

Les Bleus finished fourth and ninth in the 8 Hours of Bahrain, concluding its maiden campaign with the A424 in fourth place in the World Endurance Manufacturers' Championship, and first among the Hypercar newcomers.