Frustrating double retirement for Alpine at Le Mans 24 Hours
Alpine soon saw its two cars retire from the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The A424s were affected by an engine problem in the first quarter of the race.
Alpine knew. This first 24-hour race for the A424 was going to be difficult. During a press briefing, Philippe Sinault and Bruno Famin admitted it. Their only goal was going to be to finish the race. And not to aim for a place in the general standings. The two men indicated that reliability was going to be a key element.
They were right. At 8:46 p.m., Ferdinand Habsburg, in car #35, saw his engine catch fire at the Arnage corner. The Austrian had no choice but to park his Hypercar and get out as quickly as possible. “It’s very hard for us. It’s bitter. We’ve done a great job since the beginning of the 24 Hours. The pace was solid. It’s motorsport. We have to accept it. These are things that can happen,” confessed Paul-Loup Chatin, the archduke’s teammate, a few moments after the retirement.
Also read: Our live coverage of the 24 Hours of Le Mans
Approximately three quarters of an hour later, it was the sister car that experienced a similar issue. This time, the A424 was able to be brought back to the pit. It was taken into its garage. The mechanics inspected it and quickly lowered the curtain of box #36. At 9:33 p.m., Alpine’s dream shattered.
There were, however, beautiful things to be found. All week, the team proved to be very fast on the Le Mans circuit. Paul-Loup Chatin had managed to qualify for the hyperpole. The Frenchman had started from sixth position.
A team capable of playing at the front
« We had finished the first three races of the season without any issues, but the mechanics are put to the test like nowhere else at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. This disappointment should allow us to analyze and understand our weaknesses in order to turn them into strengths. It’s cruel, but we must work even harder to bounce back », thought Charles Milesi, who had started aboard the #36.
Alpine announced that studies will be conducted on the Mécachrome engine in order to identify the origin of the problem with the two Hypercars. With a goal: to come back stronger at the 6 Hours of Sao Paulo on July 14. “Seeing the tears and disappointed faces tonight, I am convinced that we will turn Alpine Endurance Team into a team capable of fighting at the front to achieve podiums and victories,” promised Bruno Famin.
