Alpine Launches A480 Gibson LMP1 for Hypercar Class

Alpine Endurance Team has unveiled its Alpine A480 Gibson LMP1 car that the Signatech-run team will campaign in the FIA World Endurance Championship Hypercar class.

Alpine is set to line up against Le Mans Hypercar machinery from Toyota Gazoo Racing and Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus during the six-round season which includes the 24 Hours of Le Mans in August.

The French team’s ORECA-built non-hybrid LMP1 car will use a 4.5-liter Gibson V8 engine and six-speed Xtrac gearbox setup, which is the same configuration it had when it ran as a Rebellion R13 Gibson during the last two seasons with Rebellion Racing.

It will be driven by Nicolas Lapierre, Andre Negrao and Matthieu Vaxiviere who were announced back in January.

It will mark the first season in the WEC’s top prototype class for the Signatech-Alpine collaboration after eight years in LMP2.

During its spell in the second-tier prototype division, the team claimed a trio of Le Mans victories as well as titles in the WEC and European Le Mans Series.

“Alpine’s history is paved with challenges,” said team principal Philippe Sinault.

“Since 2013, we have been proving ourselves step by step, and showing that we are capable of defending the Alpine colors at the highest level.

“This new challenge is part of this mindset. The trust that Alpine has placed in us for this project is a source of great pride. We are approaching this program with humility and the desire to do well at a time when the world of endurance racing is at a turning point in its history.

“We are determined to rise to this exhilarating and incredibly motivating challenge to once again anchor Alpine in the pantheon of French and international motorsport.”

The car’s livery bears resemblance to the designs used by Signatech Alpine during its LMP2 campaigns. The team will compete under the Alpine Elf Matmut banner.

Alpine’s last overall victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans came in 1978 with a Renault-Alpine A442B driven by Didier Pironi and Jean-Pierre Jaussaud.