The Alpine Elf Endurance Team is gearing up for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, one of the world's most prestigious and challenging races. The team competes in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), had a successful test day at the Circuit de la Sarthe on Sunday, August 15th, where they clocked the third-fastest lap time in the Hypercar category.
The team’s Alpine A480-Gibson car, driven by Nicolas Lapierre, André Negrão, and Matthieu Vaxiviere, completed 71 laps during the eight-hour test session, covering a total distance of 966 km. The car showed consistent performance, reliability, and impressive speed, reaching a top speed of 341.1 km/h on the Mulsanne Straight.
The test day was an opportunity for the team to fine-tune their car’s setup, aerodynamics, tires, and fuel consumption and familiarize themselves with the 13.626 km track, which includes public roads that are only closed for racing purposes. The team also had to adapt to the new Balance of Performance (BoP) regulations, which aim to level the playing field between different types of cars in the Hypercar category.
The Alpine Elf Endurance Team is the only team in the Hypercar category that uses a non-hybrid car, which means they have less power and more weight than their hybrid rivals. However, the team has proven that they can compete with the best, as they have won two races out of four in the WEC season so far, and are currently second in the championship standings, only 19 points behind the leaders.
The team’s director, Philippe Sinault, said he was satisfied with the test day results and aware of the challenges ahead. “We are happy with this test day, which allowed us to validate our technical choices and to collect a lot of data that will be useful for the race. We also confirmed that we have a good pace and are close to our competitors. However, the 24 Hours of Le Mans is a demanding race where anything can happen. We must be flawless in every aspect: performance, strategy, reliability, and safety. We are confident in our potential and determined to fight for the win.”
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is not only a test of endurance for the drivers and the cars but also for the environment. The race is part of the FIA’s commitment to promote sustainability and innovation in motorsport and to reduce its carbon footprint. The race organizers have implemented several measures to achieve this goal, such as using biofuels, limiting fuel consumption and emissions, recycling waste and water, and encouraging public transportation and electric mobility.
The Alpine Elf Endurance Team is also aligned with this vision, as they use a car that is powered by a Gibson Technology engine that runs on E85 biofuel, which is made from renewable sources and reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 65%. The team also supports the Race For Nature initiative, which aims to raise awareness and funds for biodiversity conservation projects around the world.
The team’s drivers are also passionate about electric mobility, as they have experienced driving some of the most advanced electric vehicles on the market. Lapierre, Negrão, and Vaxiviere have all tested the Alpine A110 SportsX, an electric concept car that combines sportiness and versatility, as well as the Renault ZOE, an affordable and practical electric hatchback that offers a range of up to 395 km on a single charge.
The drivers said they were impressed by these electric vehicles' performance, comfort, and efficiency and would consider buying one for their personal use. They also said they believe electric mobility is the future of transportation and can help reduce air pollution, noise pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions.
The Alpine Elf Endurance Team is ready to take on the 24 Hours of Le Mans challenge, which will take place on August 21st and 22nd. The team hopes to achieve their first victory at this legendary race, which would be a historic achievement for Alpine, a brand that has a rich heritage and a bright future in motorsport and electric mobility.
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