Renault's reborn sports-car
brand has launched a far more powerful Alpine today.
Meet the new Alpine A470, the brand's new LMP2
racing prototype that's set to take on the second-tier class of the FIA World
Endurance Championship this year.
Under the new regulations, only four chassis
constructors and just one engine supplier form the basis for every car on the
LMP2 grid. Fortunately Alpine has already been working with Oreca (one of the
four approved suppliers), so the new A470 – like the A460 and A450 before it –
further develops on the same building blocks. Instead of
Nissan's 4.5, power is supplied by Gibson Technology's 4.0-liter naturally
aspirated V8, rated at 600 horsepower.
The new A470 will have big racing shoes to fill,
since the Signatech Alpine team won both the drivers' and teams' titles in last
year's championship – and its class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Fortunately the team has lined up a roster of top
drivers. Of the three reigning champions, Gustavo Menezes is returning,
Stephane Richelmi has been replaced by Matt Rao, and Nicolas Lapierre will
return to the Alpine cockpit for all but the races at Spa and Le Mans. There
he'll will be driving a top-tier hybrid LMP1 for Toyota, with his seat at
Alpine filled by Romain Dumas, who won the WEC and Le Mans trophies for Porsche
last year.
A second car will be shared by Nelson Panciatici, Pierre Ragues, and André Negrão. Both cars
will make their debut in the pre-season test at Monza this weekend before the
season kicks off with the 6 Hours of Silverstone on April 16.
