Negrao to Replace Rao in Single-Car Signatech Alpine Entry for Mexico

Photo: Vision Sport Agency

Andre Negrao is set to replace Matt Rao at the wheel of the No. 36 Signatech Alpine Matmut entry, in what’s expected to be a reduced single-car effort for the team in the Six Hours of Mexico.

The provisional entry list for the fifth round of the FIA World Endurance Championship lists the Brazilian driver in place of Rao, who had teamed with defending LMP2 World Champions Nico Lapierre and Gustavo Menezes in the squad’s lead Alpine A470 Gibson.

Rao, Lapierre and Menezes are coming off their first class podium finish of the year in last weekend’s Six Hours of Nürburgring, after a challenging start to the season. 

Only the team’s No. 36 car is currently listed for Mexico, with the No. 35 Alpine, which Negrao drove in the last three rounds, not expected to take part in the remainder of the season, despite a deal having reportedly been on the table as recently as last weekend.

It has resulted in a provisional 26-car entry for the Mexican round, with the No. 4 ByKolles ENSO CLM P1/01 NISMO and No. 43 Tockwith Motorsports Ligier JS P217 Gibson also not present.

At least one additional entry could still be in the works for the Sept. 1-3 race at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.

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