- Alpine began its 23rd participation in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the second with the A424 in the Hypercar category
- The Pesage and parade in the city centre were the first highlights of this crown jewel event in endurance racing
- Alpine Endurance Team hit the track on Sunday, completing 137 laps, or more than 1,850 kilometres, during the Test Day
On Friday, the 93rd edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans got underway with the Pesage. Held at the Place de la République in Le Mans, the administrative and technical scrutineering saw the two Alpine A424s and all the other cars entered in the race examined and inspected by FIA and ACO marshals to ensure they complied with the regulations.
Present for both the weigh-in with their complete equipment and for media activities, the two crews could feel the support of the large crowd. This enthusiasm was also palpable during the parade through the city on Saturday afternoon.
On Sunday, the French team tackled the Test Day. The six drivers made the most of the two three-hour sessions to get back up to speed on the 13.626-kilometre Circuit des 24 Heures du Mans, which has been partially resurfaced since last year. At 10 am, Ferdinand Habsburg and Jules Gounon began the team’s programme. After an installation lap, they and their teammates focused on various key elements for the race: car set-up, pit stops, track evolution, fuel consumption management and tyre compound analysis.
The six drivers took turns to gather as much information as possible during a day that built to a crescendo. At the end of the second session, the Alpine A424s, bearing the ‘A70’ logo for the brand’s 70th anniversary, were fourth and tenth, covering 137 laps.
With these valuable lessons, Alpine Endurance Team will now analyse the data collected in preparation for the following challenges. On Wednesday, three hours of free practice will precede qualifying. The first night runs will take place immediately afterwards until midnight.
Quotes
Crew #35
Ferdinand Habsburg
“Our first steps were done beautifully, but the hard work begins now. We need to analyse and work on our weaknesses while building on our strengths ahead of Free Practice 1. The team has undeniably made big improvements since last year. That’s clear, but we still have a lot of work to do if we want to compete with the fastest.”
Charles Milesi
“It’s still too early to draw conclusions, but the overall impression from this first day is quite positive. The times aren’t really representative, but the feeling is much better than last year. We have some points of reference, and we’ve made progress in all areas. The most important thing is to avoid mistakes to continue to rack up mileage. We’re staying focused on our work and will see where that takes us.”
Paul-Loup Chatin
“The first impressions are quite good despite the red flags severely limiting my running. Getting back up to speed was important, and the car felt good. We went through many areas, and the team did a good job. There is still much to do, but we are moving in the right direction, which is encouraging for next week.”
Crew #36
Frédéric Makowiecki
“We learned a lot today and gained some valuable insight. There is some interesting data to work with going forward. The plan is to analyse everything in depth to best guide our work. There are still a few areas to look into, but we have all the free practice sessions to fine-tune things. The race will be here before we know it, so we are focusing on our work and will see where we stand at the end.”
Jules Gounon
“The first laps at Le Mans are always special, but they were even more so for me as it was my first time on this track behind the wheel of a prototype. I had a hectic schedule due to my DTM commitments, but it was most definitely worth it, and I can’t wait to return to La Sarthe in the coming days to continue the adventure of this legendary race with les Bleus.”
Mick Schumacher
“We completed most of our programme despite a disrupted end to the day with two red flags. That was the main goal, and the team did well to recover some lost track time. Overall, it looks positive, but we haven’t yet got into the thick of things. Making the most of the next session will be crucial, as there will only be one before qualifying.”
Philippe Sinault, Team Principal Alpine Endurance Team
“While the day seemed to flow smoothly, it was rather intense, with an ambitious work programme and plenty to review. We concentrated most of our efforts in the morning before spending the afternoon preparing for the race, particularly analysing the tyres over long stints. The results are quite satisfactory: we gathered much useful information going forward. The drivers were happy with the car’s balance, which gradually improved thanks to the team’s work. Even though the foundations are good, there is still much to do to perfect the setup. Equally important, our drivers made no mistakes, which was a clear imperative to work in good conditions and approach the rest of the event with confidence, and humility in the face of the challenge that this race represents.”
Nicolas Lapierre, Sporting Director Alpine Endurance Team
“It was a rather good day. We struggled a bit to find the right setup this morning but we moved in the right direction this afternoon. We got to try different tyre compounds in various conditions and complete most of our programme. The overall outcome is satisfactory despite the track time lost due to incidents. The drivers performed well and avoided making any mistakes. The pace looks right for now. Although it’s still too early to draw any conclusions, we are in a good position, which is encouraging for next week.”
CLASSIFICATIONS
Test Day – Morning
12. Alpine Endurance Team #36 3m29.596s (35 laps)
13. Alpine Endurance Team #35 3m29.673s (36 laps)
Test Day – Afternoon
4. Alpine Endurance Team #36 3m27.313s (33 laps)
10. Alpine Endurance Team #35 3m27.754s (33 laps)
TIMETABLE (CEST)
Tuesday 10 June
2:00-5:00 pm: Autograph session & Pit Walk
3:15-4:30 pm: Pit Stop Challenge
Wednesday 11 June
2:00-5:00 pm: Free practice 1
7:30-8:00 pm: Hypercar Qualifying
10:00 pm-12:00 am: Free practice 2
Thursday 12 June
2:10 pm: Hydrogen Demonstration with Alpenglow Hy6
2:45-5:45 pm: Free practice 3
9:05-9:25 pm: Hyperpole 1
9:40-9:55 pm: Hyperpole 2
11:00 pm-12:00 am: Free practice 4
Friday 13 June
4:00-7:00 pm: Driver parade
Saturday 14 June
12:00-12:15 pm: Warm-up
12:30 pm: Hydrogen Demonstration with Alpenglow Hy6
4:00 pm: Start of the 93rd edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans
Sunday 15 June
4:00 pm: Finish of the 93rd edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans
ABOUT ALPINE
Founded in 1955 by Jean Rédélé, Alpine has established itself with its French-style sports cars. The brand introduced the new A110 in 2018, faithful to Alpine’s timeless principles of compactness, lightweight, agility and driving pleasure. The Alpine Business Unit was created in 2021, building on the heritage and savoir-faire of its historic Dieppe factory and the engineering expertise of the Alpine Racing and Alpine Cars teams. The dedicated brand innovates authentic and exclusive sports cars within Renault Group. This expertise enables the brand to compete in two FIA championships: Formula 1 and the World Endurance Championship. Alpine is also present in other racing disciplines through its customer racing programme in Rally, Cup and GT4. 2024 marks a turning point in Alpine’s ambitions as it inaugurates Its 100% electric “Dream Garage” with the launch of its hot hatch, the A290, followed by its first sport fastback, the A390, in 2025.