Signatech to revive the Alpine name at the 24 Hours of Le Mans

In 2013 Alpine will be seen once again at circuits and in endurance racing, at the heart of a successful and highly motivated team, Signatech.  Masterminded for many years by Philippe Sinault, the LMP2 competitor – a significant presence in the top category of the European Le Mans Series – has started the 2013 season by scoring points in the first two rounds of the series.  Fourth at Silverstone in April and on the second step of the podium at Imola mid-May, Signatech Alpine is currently in third place overall in the European Le Mans Series.

The Signatech team has over 22 years' experience at the highest international levels of single-seater motorsport, but also four seasons in endurance racing on the world's stage.  Today Signatech has become firmly established among the key players in international motorsport.

We caught up with Philippe Sinault, Signatech Alpine Team Principal.

Why has Renault chosen Signatech to represent the Alpine marque?

PhS:  “We've known each other for a number of years and have already worked together, notably on the return of Nissan which came about thanks to Mr Carlos Tavares, Chief Operating Officer of Renault, and that collaborative project went rather well.  Carlos Tavares believes that we are good spokesmen and that, knowing endurance racing well, we were the ideal people for a project of this scale. It's truly a relationship of trust which has developed between us over a very long time.”

One imagines that this trusting relationship was built to last, and that the return of the Alpine name is not therefore a one-off project.  How do you see your future together?

PhS:  “Using, once again, the words of Carlos Tavares, this first stage is a building block.  There is a willingness on the part of Renault to re-establish the Alpine brand in the context of an automotive factory but also in the field of motorsport.  This latter is in the genes and DNA of the Alpine brand, a brand which cannot survive without motorsport.  This is the reason why they chose to return to competition even before the release of the new road car.  It's part of a carefully thought out approach with the aim of rebuilding and laying the foundations for the return of the brand. In the first instance there will be a production car, which will likely open the way to a sporting version.”

What do you think of the new-look European Le Mans Series and how has the start of the season gone?

PhS:  "We know that the level is very high and the ELMS is close to the FIA WEC in terms of competition.  As for the start of our season, there is not much to say about the Silverstone race because the weather conditions cut short the outcome, but at Imola we saw without doubt that the level was very high. When you see, for example, that after 45 minutes of the race the first six are separated by six seconds, it shows the quality and performance of both the teams and cars. If we can finish on the podium regularly, then we will have done our job well. Our goal is to go for the win at every race but it would be pretentious to say that we will win everything.  However, we have seen that we have what's needed to win...”

What is being changed for the 24 Hours of Le Mans?

PhS:  “Unlike for the FIA WEC entrants, the 24 Hours of Le Mans is not part of our ELMS season.  We obviously have a Le Mans kit, but are also subject to a slightly more restrictive set of regulations, notably with regard to the engine which we absolutely can't change until the end of the season. But our team knows this race well and we are faced with a programme a little more familiar to us than what we've already done in LMP2 so we are confident.”

Signatech was entered in the 2012 WEC.  Why are you in the ELMS in 2013?

PhS:  “It's similar to what Alpine did in the 1970s, particularly in 1973 when they started with the European Championship.  It's shows great humility on their part and a step-by-step approach.  Moreover, three of the five ELMS events take place alongside the World Series by Renault and therefore it's a sensible choice of championship.  However, it doesn't mean that we won't try and enter a car in the 2014 FIA WEC…that would be a logical move but we're not there yet.”

Your driver line up is made up of three young Frenchmen, who are they?

PhS:  “Pierre Ragues, Nelson Panciatici and Tristan Gommendy and line-up echoes the Alpine project.  Between them, these three have competed in the biggest endurance race in the world ten times and they all came from a background of single-seaters.  These are guys who deliberately chose endurance racing and I think that Alpine will be a wonderful springboard for them."

“We are extremely proud to be carrying this project, and we feel there is real expectation. We have a lot of pressure, but that's a good sign.  We feel a certain responsibility towards it and we know we are going to share some great things with many people.  The 24 Hours of Le Mans is around the corner and we can't wait to be there."