Alpine Unveils Final Prototype For 2024 Hypercar

Alpine has revealed the final prototype of its new hypercar before it hits the competitive circuit in the World Endurance Championship in 2024. Aptly named A424, the LMDh hypercar is designed for 24 hour endurance racing. It’s powered by a 675bhp, 3.4-litre turbocharged V6 engine which is paired with a 50kW Bosch hybrid system and seven-speed gearbox.

Christophe Chapelain, chief engineer on the A424 project says, “the synergies with F1 are such that our LMDh software is strongly inspired by F1. As an engineer, I’m always keen to get on the track as soon as possible. All of us can’t wait for our first laps. In the meantime, our engine continues to run on the dyno before a first start scheduled for 28 June. Then we will conduct a shakedown by the end of July before starting a series of test sessions from August. By then, we should have built a second car and fitted it with an engine to send it to the United States for wind tunnel testing in mid-November.”

The rest of this year involves a rigorous testing programme to get the A424 ready for its first FIA WEC race, in March 2024, the 6 Hours of Qatar. Speaking about the decision to enter LMDh, Alpine Racing SAS Executive Director Bruno Famin says, “In 2021, we decided to enter the Hypercar category and have been fully committed to it since January 2022. The pace gradually quickened, and given Alpine’s ambitions to penetrate the American market the LMDh option was obvious as it requires a more limited investment in engineering than the LMHs.”

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Provided testing goes smoothly, the prototype’s first 24-hour Endurance test will be at Motorland Aragón in November. Signatech founder, Philippe Sinault comments, “We are racers first and foremost, and it was unthinkable for us to imagine the 24 Hours of Le Mans centenary edition without Alpine. We absolutely wanted to be competing as racing is in our genes and also the best way to prepare ourselves. A massive amount of groundwork, anticipation and commitment from everyone has already been done for nearly a year. The support of Alpine Racing and Oreca will be invaluable in ensuring that we are in the best possible position and make this magnificent prototype further cement Alpine’s place to the French and international motorsport zenith.”