Alpine is the latest automaker to join Audi, BMW, Cadillac and Porsche for LMDh(Le Mans Daytona hybrid) class which is set to be introduced at Daytona in 2023.
LMDh will be introduced as a premier racing class in the IMSA Sportscar Championship and also World Endurance Championship. The class will be alongside LMH(Le Mans Hypercar) which was introduced to the World Endurance Championship this year.
Alpine is currently competing in the LMH class this year with a grandfathered LMP1 car, the A480 Gibson. However, the French outfit will fully switch to LMDh in 2024 by fielding two cars in the category. Partnering with Signatech, they will purely focus on the World Endurance Championship which hosts the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Alpine will be committed to at least four seasons of LMDh partnering with chassis supplier Oreca in the campaign. To monitor the cost cap, teams competing in LMDh will be required to use a chassis from one of four suppliers. Oreca is one of four chassis suppliers selected for LMDh the others being Dallara, Ligier and Multimatic.
Alpine will use its own power unit, developed using knowledge gained from its Formula One program. Alpine is both a constructor and power unit supplier in F1, and plans to stay there.
“By competing in both Formula One and endurance, Alpine will be one of the rare brands to be present in the two key disciplines of motorsport,” Laurent Rossi, Alpine’s CEO, said in a statement. “We will make the most of Formula One and endurance through technical and technological synergies to gain the advantage over prestigious opponents.”
