As a tribute to the Alpines which raced at Le Mans in the 1970s, the ‘LM P2’ prototype run by Signatech-Alpine has been christened ‘Alpine A450’.
“Alpine’s return to motor racing marks the beginning of a new adventure for this legendary brand,” says Carlos Tavares, Renault’s Chief Operating Officer. “Although our focus is very much on the future, with the development of a new car which is due to reach the market in 2016, we have not forgotten Alpine’s extraordinary heritage.”
“The name Alpine A450 stood out as a natural choice for this prototype which will contest the ELMS and the Le Mans 24 Hours. It pays tribute to the A441, A442 and A443 which raced at and – in the case of the A442B – won at Le Mans in the 1970s. The figure ‘50’ symbolises the fiftieth anniversary of Alpine’s first official entry for the Le Mans 24 Hours.”
The Alpine A450’s first competitive outing will be at Silverstone, United Kingdom, this weekend (April 13), with drivers Nelson Panciatici and Pierre Ragues, almost 35 years after the Alpine-Renault A442B’s landmark victory at Le Mans in the hands of Jean-Pierre Jaussaud and Didier Pironi.
The Alpine A450 will be the very first car of the brand to take part in an official race at Silverstone.
News Source: Renault
