Alpine is european endurance champion

Since Alpine announced its return to racing on 8 March 2013, the legendary brand has done more than prove its reliability and its enthusiasm for motor sport by winning the European Le Mans Series. The recipe that won us all over in 2013 was a combination of a car that is both dynamic and good-looking and French drivers to whom Alpine gave the resources to reveal all their talent.




Alpine on the Castellet Circuit (France)
A look back at the Alpine A450′s season on the circuits of the European Le Mans Series
Alpine back on the circuits – that was the dream of so many racing fans since the brand won the Le Mans 24-hour race in 1978 and took the top three places in the Monte Carlo Rally in 1973. In 2013 the dream became reality, launching a fine season that culminated in the ELMS title of European champion.
The Alpine A450 competed on six legendary European racing circuits to prove its speed and flexibility during the European Le Mans Series and the Le Mans 24-hour event.
Pierre Rague and Nelson Panciatici kicked off the season in style at Silverstone on 14 April, taking fourth place despite the very wet conditions.
On 18 May the Alpine A450 took second place at Imola, both on the podium and in the overall rankings. That second race of the season was also an opportunity for the drivers to get used to the Michelin slick tyres.
Pit stop at le Mans
Then on 22 and 23 June the three drivers, Pierre Ragues, Nelson Panciatici and Tristan Gommendy, finished ninth in the LMP2 category at the legendary Le Mans race. The car started and finished: contract fulfilled.
The race also demonstrated the qualities of the Signatech-Alpine team, which was awarded the ESCRA prize for best technical assistance for practically rebuilding the car in the middle of the night.
At the Red Bull Ring circuit in Austria on 22 July, Pierre Rague and Nelson Panciatici repeated their Imola performance, putting the Alpine A450 in second place.
Moving onwards and upwards, the two Alpine drivers achieved a stylish first place in Hungary on 14 September.
Back in France at the Paul Ricard circuit on 28 September, Pierre Rague and Nelson Panciatici finished fourth after a breathtaking, action-packed race.
Promotional drivers for Alpine A450
The Alpine-Signatech team chose outstanding French drivers with perfectly complementary talents and personalities.

Nelson Panciatici, Pierre Ragues and Tristan Gommendy
Nelson Panciatici (23): why is he still called Ken?
He started go-kart racing in 1998 and won his first national title the next year. In 2005 he made his single-seater racing debut in Formula Renault 2.0 and won his first motor sport event in 2006. He joined the Oil Hache team in 2008 and was runner-up in the F3 Spanish championship.
Another important year for the young driver was 2010, when he joined the Lotus junior team in FR 3.5 WS. In 2012 he won the Le Mans 24-hour race and became world endurance champion.




Signatech-Alpine chose him as one of its drivers in 2013.13.
Pierre Ragues (29), known as Mick, as in Mick Jagger…
He started go-kart racing in 1994 and won his first title, champion of Normandy, the next year. He moved into motor sport with Formula Campus in 2003 and was runner-up in the championship.
In 2004 the SG Formula team gave him the chance to take part in Eurocup Formula Renault and the Formula Renault French championships.He signed with the Saulnier Racing team in 2008 to take part in the Le Mans Series and the Le Mans 24-hour race in the LMP2 category before spending two seasons with Signature and returning to compete for OAK Racing in 2011.
In 2013 he joined Signatech – Alpine for the European Le Mans Series and the Le Mans 24-hour race.
Tristan Gommendy (34): they call him “the tyre”
Revealed on the international racing scene when he won the Formula 3 Macao grand prix in 2002, he went on to take part in the Formula Renault V6 championshp in 2003.
In 2008 and 2009 he drove in the Superleague Formula under the colours of FC Porto. In 2009 and 2010 he was also behind the wheel of the WR-Zytek LMP2 in the Le Mans Series and the Le Mans 24-hour race. In 2013 he competed in the European Le Mans Series for Alpine.
Bernard Ollivier declared to us late at night on September 28th: “We can be very proud of the achievements and image displayed by Alpine racing with the Signatech team – a combination of professionalism, enthusiasm, tenacity and the will the win. We made the impossible possible thanks to an exceptional car, an exceptional technical team and exceptional drivers, buoyed up by the enthusiasm of our fans, to whom we dedicate this title. We will do everything we can to be in the running and winners again in 2014.”