Alpine Crew Preparing for “Emotional” Final WEC Race

Photo: Alpine

Alpine Endurance Team drivers and leadership are preparing for an “emotional” final FIA World Endurance Championship race in today’s 6 Hours of Monza, as the longtime program comes to an end.

The French manufacturer, which had been involved in the WEC since 2013, initially through branding and sponsorship of Signatech-run LMP2 cars, will take its final bow after a three-year run with its bespoke Alpine A424 LMDh-based prototype.

Alpine announced in February that it would exit Hypercar competition at seasons’ end, amid changes in Renault-owned brand’s direction and changes in company management.

For Alpine sporting director Nico Lapierre, who had started as a driver for the program, it marks the unexpected early completion of a circle that the Frenchman had with the brand, which is aiming to go out on a high note today.

“Of course we are focused on the race and we want to achieve a great result for the last race,” he said.

“That’s quite important for all the drivers but also for the whole team. It’s important for us to be part of this last event.

“For sure after the race, it’s going to be a lot of emotions to see this project ending.

“It’s been quite a journey with some highs and lows, but overall quite a good journey for all of us, with fantastic memories, some podiums, even a victory.

“All in all, we’re very proud of what’s been achieved. It’s been a good three years, starting from the development of the car. I was lucky enough to drive this car for the first time.

“It’s an emotional moment for us.”

Charles Milesi, who had been part of the A424 program from the start, credits his prototype career to Signatech team principal Philippe Sinault.

“I’ve been in the team, Signatech, since 2021,” he said. “For me it’s a bit of a story of being quite home with Philippe, because he took me under his arm.

“If he was not there, I would not probably be talking to you now. It’s a long story for me with him.

“Having also the chance to be part of this program with Alpine was a memorable first experience in Hypercar.

“But although being a French guy in a French car is quite an experience, especially in the three Le Mans that we ran together with the A424.

“The best memory for me was Fuji, being able to win this race in the 100th race of the WEC, with a French manufacturer and this car was amazing.

“But also for me, the one that was quite memorable was the first time I drove the car in Le Castellet.

“It was an honor because having spent three years in LMP2, having Philippe pressing me to drive this car on the first test was something I enjoyed.

“For sure when you learn about the end of the program, it’s not something that you want to hear.

“But we’ll try to enjoy our last moments and hopefully a good result at the end of the day to close everything.”

Mercedes-AMG factory ace Jules Gounon, who then Alpine Motorsport Vice President Bruno Famin took the chance on in 2023, said he’s forever thankful for the opportunity to show his potential at the wheel of a top-flight prototype.

“You always have two sides of the story,” said Gounon. “You cry because it’s finishing and you smile because it happened.

“For me, I was lucky enough to get taken into this program by Bruno [Famin] and Philippe, coming from GT [racing] with not a single experience of single-seaters or downforces of prototypes.

“I did my first test with Nico in his LMP2 car, to try to get the drive in Alpine. I’m super thankful to them for tasting this Hypercar feeling for the last three years, with a few races the first year.

“Of course it’s difficult to see everybody in the team knowing it’s going to be our last race but so far we’re just trying to enjoy the last weekend and have fun.

“We’ll focus on the race and maybe we’ll have a few tears [after].”

Ferdinand Habsburg, like Milesi, had been part of the A424 effort from the start, but has paid tribute to the “army” of workers behind the scenes that made made the program happen.

“We are four guys standing in front of the media getting to receive all of the honor, but we are representing literally hundreds of people that over years have dedicated their lives and all of their careers to building this car, that never got sunlight like we get to have it,” he said.

“Over the last three years, I drive this car a couple of weeks a year, in reality, and there’s a bunch of guys in France working their butts off every single day, rarely going on holiday, only thinking about how they can make us go faster and look better.

“I want to shout out to all of the mechanics and engineers. Most of their names I personally don’t even know sadly because they don’t come to the race track and yet they are so big and an important part of Alpine.

“I wish they receive just as much pride and joy as we got to when we had the success.”

While the Alpine brand exits the top-level sports car racing, Signatech boss Sinault has still not given up on keeping the team and car on the grid under another manufacturer after a talks with Chinese automotive giant Geely fell through last month.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John