Alpine closes WEC Hypercar program after 2026 – Jalopnik

Alpine debuted a Le Mans Hypercar of its own creation in the FIA ​​World Endurance Championship just two years ago. The French brand even acquired a minority stake in Signatech, the team that raced its cars, as a sign of its long-term commitment. Alpine announced on Thursday that it will withdraw from the championship after the 2026 season. I don’t know anyone who would describe three years as long.

The Alpine A424 has not had much success after two seasons of competition. The program’s highest achievement was its only race victory at last year’s 6 Hours of Fuji. Despite not finishing higher than tenth at Le Mans, the car also achieved three podium finishes at other WEC events. Rather than continue to fight an uphill battle in the crowded top class of endurance racing, Alpine decided it was best to focus solely on Formula 1. The brand’s Grand Prix results are just as mediocre, but F1 has a much larger audience. Alpine CEO Philippe Krief said in a press release:

“We have had to make difficult decisions to protect Alpine’s long-term ambitions. On the one hand, the automotive industry – and in particular the EV market – is growing slower than expected. On the other hand, to succeed in the long term, we must continue our continued investments in the Alpine product portfolio and the Alpine brand. As a result, we must take decisive actions to create a brand with a sustainable future.”

The Viry-Châtillon factory has been an important part of Renault’s motorsport activities for decades. It is the place where the car manufacturer developed Formula 1’s first turbo engine in the 1970s. The engines built in the Parisian suburb helped win 12 constructors’ world championships in three decades. Benetton and Williams’ title winners of the 1990s, Alonso’s factory Renaults of the mid-2000s and Vettel’s Red Bulls of 2010 were all powered by Viry-Châtillon engines. However, Alpine decided to stop racing with its own power source and become a Mercedes customer before 2026.