24 hours of Le Mans 2018: the Alpine A470 no. 36 crew is ready for the second race of the Super Season
The 24 Hours of Le Mans 2018, the second race of the World Endurance Championship 2018-2019 which will exceptionally take place over two years, will mark the 40th anniversary of the Alpine A442B’s victory with Didier Pironi and Jean-Pierre Jaussaud.
After claiming a place on the podium in the LMP2 category at the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps last May, the Alpine A470 from the Signatech Alpine Matmut team will appear amongst the favorites of the 24H of Le Mans 2018.
Decisive and intensive preparation
After the Test Day on Sunday, June 3, during which the A470 was placed fifth in the LMP2 category, the teams will experience the Sarthe Circuit several times before crossing the starting line on June 16.
The untimed practices and the first qualifying session will take place on Wednesday, June 13. The teams will finish their battle to determine the starting grid the following day after two other qualifiers.
On Saturday, June 16, the big day will kick off with a warm-up at 9 am, followed by a presentation of the teams to the general public.
At 3 pm, the sixty competitors will embark on the legendary proof of endurance drive that is Le Mans.
Signatech Alpine Matmut is counting on a trio of consistent drivers to perform well
Already victorious in the LMP2 category at the wheel of an Alpine in 2016, the Frenchman Nicolas Lapierre once again has the Brazilian André Negrão at his side, with whom he has already won a race and three podiums.
The team will be completed by Frenchman Pierre Thiriet, former driver for G-Drive Racing, who as 6 participations in the Le Mans, including 2 second places. This experienced trio has only one goal: to repeat the victory from two years ago, and why not that from forty years ago!
A word from Signatech Alpine Matmut’s Team Principal, Philippe Sinault
“Our objective is to reach the top of the podium. Forty years after Pironi and Jaussaud’s victory with the A442B, it’s our turn in this 2018 edition. And that’s fine with me, I like to take on challenges: we are playing to win to commemorate this historic win for Alpine."
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A strong return for the Alpine brand
It is not only in WEC that Alpine is engaged on the circuits this year. The brand is at the heart of a single-make series, the Alpine Elf Europa Cup, relaunched in 2018 with a squad of around twenty A110 Cup, the "customer racing" version of the new Alpine A110. Organised by Signatech - the structure led by Philippe Sinault, who is operating the Alpine A470 in endurance races - over six rounds, this competition started on 1 and 2 June on the Paul-Ricard circuit (France) and will continue in Germany, Great Britain, Belgium and Spain.
On the commercial side, after the success of the Première Edition launch model, Alpine unveiled the Pure and Legend versions of the A110 at the Geneva Motor Show last March. The first, focused on driving and intended for purists, is proposed from 54 700 euros. The second, more sophisticated and refined, has a price of 58,500 euros. Reservations for these Pure and Legend versions are open in the Alpine network and via the Alpine App; they can be ordered from this summer.
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