With the A480, Alpine brings Endurance and F1 together

The French team has revealed the Alpine A480, the new car that will compete in the Hypercar category of the World Endurance Championship (WEC) and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

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Rédigé par Par

Alpine continues its commitment in Endurance! The French team presented on Tuesday, March 16th, the Alpine A480, a car from the new Hypercar category, the premier category of the 2021 Endurance Championship (WEC).

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Engaged in the Hypercar category… without being a Hypercar!

Warning! Let’s set the scene right away: the new car is not a Hypercar. It is a former LMP1 rebranded! The Alpine Endurance Team is using an ex-Rebellion R13 this season, built by Oreca… and dressed in a blue-white-red livery. A livery already seen with Alpine in Endurance, and very close to the new F1, especially with the tricolor part at the rear.

The French team will face competition from the Toyota and Glickenhaus Hypercars. At the 24 Hours of Le Mans, on 21 and 22 August, Alpine will compete against 2 Toyota and 2 Glickenhaus.

A new chapter for Alpine.

This is a new chapter beginning for Alpine in Endurance, in an already very rich history. Three recent wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the LMP2 category (2016, 2018, 2019) and two LMP2 World Champion titles (2016 and 2019) later, Alpine is now moving up to the top category of endurance racing. The Balance of Performance adjustments should allow them to have some ambitions of their own.

As in the LMP2 era, the Alpine will be marked with number 36. On board, the trio of drivers, including two French drivers: Nicolas Lapierre and Matthieu Vaxivière, and one Brazilian driver: André Negrao.

Lapierre (36 years old) and Negrao (28 years old), two reliable drivers for Alpine. Both were part of the victorious crew at Le Mans in 2018 and 2019. Younger than his two companions, Matthieu Vaxivière (26 years old) is also experienced in Endurance races, with 4 participations in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in LMP2 aboard an Oreca car (TDS Racing and then Panis Racing). He has two podium finishes in LMP2, 3rd place in 2019 and 2020.

The Alpine A480 LMP1 version takes over from the LMP2 car, born in 2013, which competed in the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) and then in the World Endurance Championship (WEC).

Alpine moves up a class by joining the new Hypercar category. A category that will see the reinforcement of major manufacturers such as Porsche, Ferrari, or Peugeot by 2023.

A choice lineup, with an Alpine Hypercar? Discussions are ongoing with Laurent Rossi (CEO of Alpine) according to Philippe Sinault, the team principal:

An Alpine Hypercar? « The subject is on the table, but we already have 2021 to deal with » Philippe Sinault, team principal of the Alpine Endurance Team

In the meantime, we have already had to recruit three new engineers and additional mechanics to manage the new car. At present, there is no synergy yet between the F1 department, based in Enstone and Viry-Châtillon, and the Endurance department. It is too early for F1-Endurance bridges. But I hope that we will be able to have synergies in the future,” adds Philippe Sinault.

What calendar for the World Endurance Championship?

Like Formula 1, the World Endurance Championship calendar has been impacted by the health crisis. Six races are finally on the schedule: the opening round will be (hopefully) the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, on Saturday, May 1st.

The 24 Hours of Le Mans have been moved from June 12-13 to Saturday, August 21 and Sunday, August 22. The season is set to end on Saturday, November 20 with the 8 Hours of Bahrain.

6 hours of Spa-Francorchamps: Saturday, May 1st

8 hours of Algarve (Portimao): Sunday, June 13

6 hours of Monza: Sunday, July 18th

24 Hours of Le Mans: Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd August

6 Hours of Fuji: Sunday, September 26th

8 hours of Bahrain: Saturday, November 20th

The photos of the new Alpine A480

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