Alpine announces LMDh programme for Le Mans

It was announced on Tuesday (5/10/21) that Alpine has become the latest manufacturer to officially announce an LMDh programme, it will race in the Hypercars/LMDh class in 2024 with a full-factory assault on the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race and FIA World Endurance Championship.

The chassis will be built by ORECA, while the engine will be developed by Renault. While Alpine will continue to using their LMP1 spec A480-Gibson for at least the 2022 WEC season.

Though the manufacturer has had a sporadic involvement in sportscar racing in recent times, this announcement will see it go head-to-head with factory rivals Peugeot, Toyota, Audi, Porsche, Ferrari, BMW, and Cadillac, and with privateers Glickenhaus and ByKolles also set to join in the growing Hypercars category of Le Mans and WEC when the cars will introduce at the start of the 2021 WEC season.

Alpine has previous experience racing at Le Mans, including winning the race outright in 1978.

Overall, it will be a very tough challenge ahead for Alpine in 2024, challenging the likes of rivals Peugeot, Toyota, Audi, Porsche, Ferrari, BMW and Cadillac in technology and imagination.