Alpine A450 takes the ELMS Championship title
The Alpine A450 endurance racer takes the Championship title in the European Le Mans Series
Alpine has successfully taken the 2013 European Le Mans Series title in the re-born team’s debut year. The title came after the Alpine A450, driven by Nelson Panciatici and Pierre Ragues, took a trio of podium finishes throughout the season.
Alpine teamed up with well-known endurance team Signatech, running the A450 in all five rounds of the ELMS 2013 season, as well as the LMP2 class of June’s iconic round-the-clock race at Le Mans. Tristan Gommendy made it a three-man team at the Le Mans 24-hour race, with the team placing 9th place in class.
The team came close to losing the ELMS title in the final race at the 3 Hours of Paul Ricard, thanks to a defective steering wheel, but thanks to a quick pit stop and some detrmined driving – the number 36 Alpine took the championship title.
It’s 35 years since the Alpine-Renault A442B’s iconic victory at the Le Mans 24 hours, with Jean-Pierre Jaussaud and Didier Pironi at the wheel. And the French carmaker's wish for some modern day glory has come true, as it relaunches its sports car business with a new mid-engined Caterham relative.
