Alpine has officially launched their campaign for the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship Hypercar category at their Enstone factory, in conjunction with their FIA Formula 1 World Championship programme. The Signatech Alpine endurance team has unveiled their entry into the top-tier Hypercar category after months of testing their A424 LMDh, which features a modified turbocharged Mecachrome engine and a chassis developed by Oreca. Throughout the testing phase, the two A424s have sported blue liveries, which will continue to be displayed during their inaugural campaign. Alpine is one of three new Hypercar teams entering the competition in 2024, alongside Isotta Fraschini and Lamborghini Iron Lynx. Initially, Alpine participated in the 2021 and 2022 Hypercar seasons with a ‘grandfathered’ Rebellion R13 LMP1.
Philippe Sinault, team principal of the Alpine Endurance Team, expressed his excitement about the project, stating, “We are writing the next chapter of Alpine’s history in Endurance. We must approach our project with humility, but also ambition. We have undergone significant changes and made immense progress as a team. Unveiling our Hypercar for the 2024 season, alongside our drivers, is a truly special moment. We will learn to harness the technical package, rely on our drivers’ experience, prioritize reliability, and, of course, aim to finish the races. While it is difficult to predict if we will secure a victory this year, we are eager for good results and anticipate a rapid rise with everything we have implemented.”
Alpine has also confirmed the lineup of drivers for the 2024 FIA WEC season, including the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans on June 15-16. Paul Loup Chatin, who previously won his first European Le Mans Series title with Alpine a decade ago, will return to the French team in car #35. He will be joined by Charles Milesi and Ferdinand Habsburg. The sibling #36 A424 will feature Nicolas Lapierre, Matthieu Vaxiviere, and Mick Schumacher, who will make his endurance racing debut. Additionally, Jules Gounon, a prominent GT racing sensation, will serve as the team’s reserve driver.
Bruno Famin, Vice-President of Alpine Motorsports, expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming season, stating, “It is a momentous occasion for Alpine Motorsports to gather and officially present our programs for the 2024 season. Having both the A524 Formula 1 car and A424 Hypercar, along with all the drivers, in the same room is truly remarkable as both projects prepare for what will undoubtedly be a busy and intense 2024 year. The presence of the actual cars here today is a testament to the hard work carried out behind the scenes by our thousands of talented employees in the United Kingdom and France. Our next step is to bring everything to the track, apply operational excellence across the board, and foster a stronger dynamic and mindset within all our teams. We are all eagerly anticipating the continuation of our hard work to bring success to the Alpine name.”
The 2024 season will commence with the two-day pre-season test, known as the Prologue, in Qatar on February 24-25. The season opener will take place on March 2 with an 1812 km race at the Qatari Losail International Circuit.
