Friday 22nd March 2013

Alpine-Nissan ELMS racer revealed

LMP2 contender unveiled ahead of Paul Ricard shakedown

---

Alpine has finally revealed the LMP2 class entry with which it hopes to return to Le Mans and the ELMS this year.

Alpine will be powered by Nissan VK45

The new car, seemingly as-yet unnamed, will wear the traditional blue and orange racing colours of Alpine, and will be powered by a Nissan VK45 V8 engine with 500hp. As we reported last month, it’ll be run by the Signatech team this year, though if successful, it could pave the way for a full-blown LMP1 return by Alpine in an attempt to relive the glory days of the marque’s 1978 victory – not to mention, to build the brand’s motorsport credibility ahead of the Alpine-Caterham sports car’s arrival in 2016.

In addition to the new car, Alpine has also revealed its third driver: Tristan Gommedy, who’ll join Nelson Panciatici and Pierre Ragues in sharing the driving seat of the car for the year. We’ll get to see the car on track for the first time at the first ELMS test days, which will be held at the Paul Ricard circuit in France on the 26th and 27th of March.

[83ste]

The car does have a name - it's just a rebadged ORECA LMP2 chassis, as raced by almost every other team in the class in both ELMS and WEC.

[smiffy180]

83ste said:

The car does have a name - it's just a rebadged ORECA LMP2 chassis, as raced by almost every other team in the class in both ELMS and WEC.

Epic lurking. That is all

[georgetuk]

83ste said:

The car does have a name - it's just a rebadged ORECA LMP2 chassis, as raced by almost every other team in the class in both ELMS and WEC.

1 message in 76 months for that! Amazing. You my friend are a lurker of epic proportions!

And I think author meant they hadn't given it a name after re-badging it.

[chuntington101]

Is it me or do the side pods look like they are off a F1 car?

[jpf]

The A110 was more appealing...

[The Obeast]

Ok genuine question, what is the purpose of that big flat panel all these endurance racers seem to have now?

it must do something because its certainly not visually appealing.

Edited by The Obeast on Friday 22 March 18:41

[Meldonte]

The Obeast said:

Ok genuine question, what is the purpose of that big flat panel all these endurance racers seem to have now?

it must do something because its certainly not visually appealing.

Edited by The Obeast on Friday 22 March 18:41

The splitter? Downforce...

Or if you mean the sharks fin type thing, yaw stability I guess?

[WhiteBaron]

Meldonte said:

The Obeast said:

Ok genuine question, what is the purpose of that big flat panel all these endurance racers seem to have now?

it must do something because its certainly not visually appealing.

Edited by The Obeast on Friday 22 March 18:41

The splitter? Downforce...

Or if you mean the sharks fin type thing, yaw stability I guess?

its meant to stop them flying if they get sideways..... (however McNish and Davidson have proved epic crahes are still possible with help), unfortunately its in the regs so we are stuck with the uglyness!

[moffspeed]

exactly why LMP2 does the same to me as Daytona prototypes - they all look the same and do the same, paint it blue and call it an Alpine, paint it green and call it a BRM if you really must - they just don't float my boat - is it just me ??

[Craiglamuffin]

The intake/scoop tube things in the lights look good.

[Fireblade69]

The Obeast said:

Ok genuine question, what is the purpose of that big flat panel all these endurance racers seem to have now?

it must do something because its certainly not visually appealing.

Edited by The Obeast on Friday 22 March 18:41

Extra advertising space. I'm sure the yaw stability is just a happy coincidence :-)

[stephendell]

Any Alpine (and Dieppe built car) owners that would be interested in dedicated infield parking and reduced entry for the Alpine LMP2 debut on Saturday 13th April please visit the Renault Alpine Owners Club website here: http://www.renaultalpineownersclub.com/phpBB2/view...

[k-ink]

moffspeed said:

exactly why LMP2 does the same to me as Daytona prototypes - they all look the same and do the same, paint it blue and call it an Alpine, paint it green and call it a BRM if you really must - they just don't float my boat - is it just me ??

No. These identical cars are simply mobile advertising signs. Nothing more.

[hyper jay]

im pleased the new lotus lmp2 isnt a oreca/nissan

clone

[rsox87]

Fireblade69 said:

Extra advertising space. I'm sure the yaw stability is just a happy coincidence :-)

Not sure if you're being sarcastic....the fins are mandated in the rules to act as a spoiler to stop the car taking off if it gets tipped sideways in incidents like the one Ant Davidson had last year. Whilst the fin didn't stop his car from taking off, it certainly didn't flip as violently as it would had it not had it.

[wildman0609]

hyper jay said:

im pleased the new lotus lmp2 isnt a oreca/nissan

clone

not exactly a lotus though is it. kodewa

[hyper jay]

perhaps buts a new build , unlike the norm current p2 Oreca cars which is refreshing )

[Fireblade69]

rsox87 said:

Fireblade69 said:

Extra advertising space. I'm sure the yaw stability is just a happy coincidence :-)

Not sure if you're being sarcastic....the fins are mandated in the rules to act as a spoiler to stop the car taking off if it gets tipped sideways in incidents like the one Ant Davidson had last year. Whilst the fin didn't stop his car from taking off, it certainly didn't flip as violently as it would had it not had it.

I was being flippant/sarcastic but it is a happy convenience and although I'm sure it was designed to help stop them from flying off at a tangent in the event of some weird crash, it didn't stop the likes of Davidson & McNish crashing 'the right way' in the type of accident this should have helped. McNish went into the barrier sideways on and Davidson flipped about as badly as if it wasn't there.

[Ipelm]

Actually uniformed cynics all, the death of Alboretto testing and Mark Webers close call plus other incidents since and to the present time caused the ACO to investigate the whole business of stability after flat bottoms were introduced to reduce downforce. That process has continued with research into the problems caused in other flip over accidents. It is still work in progress!

Your point about advertising space is puzzling, LMP2 is a privateers class and sponsorship is the life blood of that class. The class can only support a certain number of manufacturers we are blessed with the right number of different marques given the economic climate............LMP2 is in rude health.

It is bit much that Renault are promoting their activities as a manufacturers return and their actual description of what is to follow doesnt actually amount to that, so it remains to be seen if this is a return to past glory or a cynical promotion. Whatever it turns out to be Renaults sponsorship is of course a much welcome addition to a thriving catagory in multi-class endurance racing, which in itself currently provides fantastic racing both here in its various guises.

I suppose some people just like to moan, their cup is always half empty.

[Yeloperil]

Can anyone give an informed insight as to why they chose to take a weight penalty with the use of the Nissan / Infiniti V8 as opposed to the 4 cylinder turbo from the Delta Wing, both of which produce a similar horse power?