ELMS – TheAlpine A450 tackling the summits at Imola

The Signatech team-Alpine had a frustrating race at the 3 Hours of Silverstone. A round which both marked the start of the season?ELMS, but also and above all the return of the emblematic brand in Endurance. A few weeks later, theAlpine A450 and its two drivers Nelson Panciatici and Pierre Ragues arrive in Italy to compete this weekend in the second event of the season on the Imola circuit. A specific and demanding route, which contrasts radically with that of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the big meeting of the season in which the team will participate next month.

“The settings of theAlpine A450 will be radically different to favor multiple acceleration and braking sequences. The chassis will also have to be adapted to allow the drivers to pass the particularly aggressive kerbs., explains Philippe Sinault, Team Principal of Signatech-Alpine. “We had a very frustrating first race at Silverstone”, remembers the pilot Pierre Ragues. “The presence of the safety car on track for a long time and the red flag before the end of three hours prevented us from starting the season on the podium. The drivers and the entire team are therefore keen to achieve a great performance in Italy! We want to show our potential and score points. »

For Nelson Panciatici, this step will be new: “I worked a lot in the simulator to get used to the track. I'm starting to have certain benchmarks. Traffic will be very important during the race and good training for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. I can't wait to get back behind the wheel to show that?Alpine A450 is competitive. » The Signatech crew-Alpine is currently in fourth place in the ELMS championship.