New N°36 Alpine-Nissan Unveiled

It was a little less than 35 years ago that the 1978 Le Mans 24 Hours-winning Alpine-Renault A442B paraded down the Champs-Elysées in front of a cheering crowd who turned out to show their appreciation for the car’s success in the hands of Jean-Pierre Jaussaud and Didier Pironi. Today, the Parisian public and visitors to the French capital have another chance to discover the A442B, since it is one of the centrepieces of the ‘No Limit!’ exhibition which is currently running at L’Atelier Renault (until April 7).

The Champs Elysees premises consequently provided the ideal backdrop for the revelation of the new Alpine prototype which is poised to compete in this year’s endurance racing season. Société des Automobiles Alpine-Caterham’s CEO Bernard Ollivier and Philippe Sinault, Signatech-Alpine Team Principal, lifted the veil to reveal a striking blue and orange livery which recalls the colours sported by the Alpines which raced at Le Mans some five decades ago.

“Since the announcement of Alpine’s revival on November 5 last year, we have been moving forward step by step,” said Bernard Ollivier. “The unveiling of this splendid car marks the beginning of another phase. It will turn a wheel for the first time very soon, and its maiden race will follow shortly afterwards. The news of our endurance racing programme received a very positive welcome, not only from diehard Alpine enthusiasts, but also from the world of motor racing in general. We can hardly wait to see our brand’s colours in action!”

“I am extremely proud to be representing Alpine, but it as an honour which goes hand in hand with significant responsibilities,” noted Philippe Sinault. “The next step is to take the car to Paul Ricard where our work will begin in earnest. Our aim is to be competitive in endurance racing’s highly competitive LMP2 class. We will use the different test sessions that are planned, as well as the first two rounds of the ELMS, to prepare for June’s Le Mans 24 Hours which is clearly the focal point of the season.”

The drivers who have been named to share the N°36 Alpine-Renault form a blend of experience and youth, and all three are keen to get behind its wheel. Nelson Panciatici, 24, and Pierre Ragues, 29, who were confirmed at the time of the programme’s original announcement, will be joined for the Le Mans 24 Hours by 34-year old Tristan Gommendy. The three Frenchmen all rose up through the ranks of Renault’s single-seater formulae and, between them, total 10 previous participations in the world’s most famous motor race. Another French youngster, Paul-Loup Chatin, has been chosen as the car’s reserve driver.

N°36 ALPINE-NISSAN – TECHNICAL DATA

Chassis                                     Alpine
Engine                                      Nissan V8 (type VK45)
Maximum power                       500hp
Fuel and lubricants                   Total
Transmission                         Six-speed sequential X-Trac gearbox
Steering                                    Hydraulic, power steering
Brakes                                      Brembo carbon brakes
Tyres                                        Michelin
Length                                     4,610mm
Wheelbase                               2,870mm
Width                                      1,995mm
Weight                                      900kg
Top speed                                330kph
NELSON PANCIATICI

Born                                      Reims, France, on September 26, 1988 (age: 24)
Single-seater debut               2005 (Formula Renault 2.0)
Endurance racing debut     2012

Record:

2012: FIA World Endurance Championship (Signatech-Nissan), fastest race lap at Fuji / 10^th overall and 4^th in LMP2 at Le Mans / podium finish at Silverstone

2010: FR3.5/WSR (KMP Racing)

2010: FR3/WSR (Junior Lotus Racing)

2009: One of the youngest drivers in GP2

2008: 2^nd, Spanish F3 Championship

2005 Formula Renault 2.0 debut

1998-2004: Karting
PIERRE RAGUES

Born                                       Caen, France, on January 10, 1984 (age: 29)
Single-seater debut               2003 (Formula Renault Campus)
Endurance racing debut        2006

Record:

2012 World Endurance Championship (Signatech-Nissan LMP2), 4^th in class at Le Mans / 3^rd in class at Silverstone / 5^th in class at Bahrain.

2011 5^th (LMP1), Intercontinental Le Mans Cup

2010 Le Mans Series and Le Mans 24 Hours (Signature Plus, LMP1)

2009 7^th, Le Mans Series (Signature Plus)

2008 Le Mans Series (Groupe Pescarolo Automobiles / Team Saulnier Racing)

Le Mans 24 Hours (Groupe Pescarolo Automobiles / Team Saulnier Racing)

2007 International Formula Master (Euronova)

Le Mans Series (Paul Belmondo Racing), LMP2

Le Mans 24 Hours debut

2005 FR 2.0 (Epsilon), French Championship and WSR

2004 FR 2.0 (SG Formula)

2003 2^nd, French Formula Campus Renault Elf Championship
TRISTAN GOMMENDY

Born                                       Chesnay, France, on January 4, 1979 (age: 34)
Singles-eater debut               1999 (Formula Renault)
Endurance racing debut       2003

Record

2011-2012 Development driver (Ligier)

2008-2012 Superleague Formula (Team France-Olympique Lyonnais, Girondins de Bordeaux, FC Porto, Galatasaray), 5 wins, 11 podiums

2010 8^th (LMP2), Le Mans 24 Hours (WR Salini)

Development driver (Audi Team Joest, Audi R15+)

2007 Champcar World Series (PKV Racing), 1 pole position, 5 top-five finishes, 2 fastest race laps and 6 top-10 finishes

2006 GP2 Series (Team Is Sport), 5 races, 4 top-five finishes and 1 fastest race lap

2005 4^th, World Series by Renault FR 3.5 (KTR), 2 wins, 5 podiums

Le Mans 24 Hours (WR)

2004 World Series by Nissan (Team Saulnier Racing), 5 pole positions, 6 podiums

2003 Formula Renault V6 (Signature), 6 wins, 5 podiums, 6 fastest race laps

Le Mans 24 Hours (factory driver for Dome LMP1 / Racing for Holland), 8^th in qualifying

2002 1^st, French Formula 3 Championship (ASM), 5 wins, 10 podiums, record number of pole positions in French championship (10), 1^st in Macau F3 GP

2001 Formula 3 (ASM), 3 pole positions, 4 podiums

1999 4^th, French Formula Renault Championship (Team Mygale), ‘Rookie’ of the Year
SIGNATECH

Signatech’s expertise is founded on 22 years of experience in top-flight single-seater racing, and four years in world class endurance racing. It has emerged as one of international motor racing’s leading players, with the following results to its name:

76 victories
47 pole positions
472 podium finishes
48 fastest race laps
15 titles

Record

Fastest race lap (LMP2), 2012 6 Hours of Fuji
2^nd (LMP2), 2012 6 Hours of Bahrain
3^rd (LMP2), 2012 6 Hours of Silverstone
10^th overall, 2012 Le Mans 24 Hours (4^th in LMP2)
2^nd (LMP2), 2011 Le Mans 24 Hours
1^st (LMP2), 2011 ILMC
2^nd, 2010 LMS
2^nd, 2011 F3 Euro Series
2^nd, 2011 LMS
1^st, 2010 F3 Euro Series
1^st, F3 World Cup (2003, 2009 and 2010)
1^st, FIA European F3 Cup (1999, 2000, 2002 and 2003)
1^st, Formula Renault V6 Europe (2003)

SIGNATECH in brief:

Two race team workshops totalling 2,500 sq. metres
Total Group turnover: €10,000,000
A staff of 40
Engineering office (Solidworks prototyping platform)
Composites workshop
Machine shop
Ellip6 simulator for driver training and technical programme development (six-axle full motion driving simulator with three-screen panoramic display).

2013 CALENDAR

• March 26-27             Official ELMS test, Paul Ricard, France
• April 13                      ELMS (round 1), Silverstone, GB
• May 18                       ELMS (round 2), Imola, Italy
• June 9                        Pre-Le Mans 24 Hours test, Le Mans, France
• June 23                      2013 Le Mans 24 Hours, Le Mans, France
• July 20                        ELMS (round 3), Red Bull Ring, Austria
• September 14           ELMS (round 4), Hungaroring, Hungary
• September 28          ELMS (found 5), Paul Ricard, France