Philippe Sinault: “ Alpine and Andretti, that would be good news”

2023 will be a year of transition for Alpine. While waiting for the arrival of its Hypercar in 2024, the Dieppe brand will have to find a solution to evolve in WEC next year. Indeed, with the arrival of new manufacturers in the category (Peugeot , Porsche, Cadillac, Ferrari), the presence of a “grandmother” ex-LM P1 in the premier category would hardly make any more sense. At Sebring, on the occasion of the first round of the 2022 season, Philippe Sinault, the boss of Signatech, discussed the different ideas of the French team in order to continue to participate in the World Championship.Endurance.

“As I suggested, we are working on several scenarios, Philippe Sinault told us. The most important probability at the moment remains an LM P2 program. This would allow us to maintain a certain continuity while developing the future LMDh in parallel. However, we are still in the reflection phase, because at one point we imagined creating an innovative car via what was formerly called Garage 56 (introduced in 2012 and dedicated to innovative cars. Editor’s note). There is perhaps something to create with the ACO, we are discussing with them. Nothing is finalized, but the deadline is approaching. »

And Andretti in all this?

Can the longer-term future be achieved with Andretti? A few weeks ago, launched in a wave of revelations, Mario Andretti affirmed that his son was discussing with the Dieppe brand for a future program in IMSA. “Preliminary exchanges” confirmed by Alpine. “I am not involved in this reflection and this decision, it is not my role, first of all wanted to clarify Philippe Sinault, in the box Alpine in Sebring. However, if this is done between Alpine and Andretti, that would be good news. »

“The status of Signatech with Alpine is clear and the LMDh aims to be a model that can be duplicated between several teams, develops the person concerned. In the 90s, Porsche with several customer teams like Penske, Joest, etc. It's not demagogic to say that, but it would make it possible to exchange, to move more quickly, to amortize a certain significant cost in terms of development. This has been part of the discussions from the start: there may be other Alpine who will drive without our flag. »

Personalized Alpine LMDh operated by Signatech in WEC and by Andretti in IMSA is therefore not a hypothetical path.

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