After an opening half of the campaign contested entirely in Europe, the 2016 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) is ready to rev back into life with Round 5 in North America.Like its competitors, Signatech-Alpine will discover the Mexico City circuit for the first time this week.Having won each of the last three races to establish a commanding lead in the LMP2 class standings, the N°36 crew (Nicolas Lapierre / Stéphane Richelmi / Gustavo Menezes) will be keen to maintain its current momentum, while the sister N°35 Baxi DC Racing Alpine entry (Nelson Panciatici / Ho-Pin Tung / David Cheng) is in pursuit of its first podium finish.
At Spa-Francorchamps, in the Le Mans 24 Hours and then again at the Nürburgring, Alpine reached the top step of the LMP2 rostrum in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). In the capable hands of Nicolas Lapierre, Stéphane Richelmi and Gustavo Menezes, the N°36 Signatech-Alpine has established itself as the class’s benchmark.
The WEC is now embarking upon the overseas element of its season, with upcoming long-haul races in Mexico, the United States, Japan, China and Bahrain taking the teams well away from their more customary stomping grounds.
To further add to the challenge, this five-race run begins in uncharted territory. Extensively overhauled to welcome the return of Formula 1 last year, the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez has already earned a reputation as one of motor racing’s most spectacular circuits. It is unique in several ways, with its long 1.2km main straight, fast corner sequences that are not for the faint-hearted and a tight-and-twisty section that winds between huge grandstands accommodating more than 100,000 spectators. It is, moreover, extremely bumpy and, being located at almost 2,300 metres above sea level, it poses a real test not only for the drivers but also for the engineers who will be tasked with striking the optimum set-up to suit the conditions.
Like the majority of their rivals, the Alpine drivers are champing at the bit to get out on-track in the Mexican heat. Nicolas Lapierre, Stéphane Richelmi and Gustavo Menezes arrive with the objective of tallying a fourth consecutive triumph, but with a 41-point advantage over their closest pursuers in the title chase The drivers of the N°36 Signatech-Alpine are well aware of the importance of consistency as they ramp up their bid for the World championship.
Behind the wheel of the N°35 Baxi DC Racing Alpine, meanwhile, Nelson Panciatici, Ho-Pin Tung and David Cheng have a different focus. Despite regularly showcasing their speed this season, Lady Luck has stubbornly refused to shine on them and a brace of seventh places remain their best results to-date. Having prepared painstakingly to tackle this new circuit, they are eager to reap the rewards of their palpable potential by fighting for the podium.
Following Free Practice on Thursday and Qualifying on Friday, the 6 Hours of Mexico will get underway at 1:30pm local time (GMT-5) on Saturday, September 3.
Bernard Ollivier (Deputy Managing Director, Alpine): “We are delighted to be returning to Latin America, a part of the world that has played a key role in Alpine’s illustrious history. Back in the 1960s, the A110 was also manufactured in Mexico under local licensing agreements, which means there are a great many Alpine clubs and passionate collectors there and we will seek to stoke their enthusiasm for the brand by giving them a victory! Our three back-to-back successes have fully vindicated the pre-season decisions we made, with the Alpine A460, the drivers, the team and our strategy all coming together to deliver results in keeping with our ambitions. Whilst we are not so naive as to think we will win every race, we will naturally do everything we can to delivering a similar level of performance at this key race. We also hope that the N°35 crew will succeed in overcoming their bad luck demons and achieve the kind of result of which they are so clearly capable. I cannot wait to experience the atmosphere inside this circuit – named after the legendary Rodriguez brothers – and I have no doubt that it will be a tremendously popular event!”
Philippe Sinault (Team Principal, Signatech-Alpine): “Since the Nürburgring, it has been all hands to the pump inside the team to prepare logistically for the final five races of the season. We have obviously been well-accustomed to this task over the last few years, but the challenge takes on an even greater dimension with two cars to look after. The remaining rounds are going to come thick and fast, with the close-knit WEC family effectively embarking on an extended road trip. Winning the last three races has validated the approach we have adopted with the N°36 car, so we will not be changing anything in that respect. Our strategy is not about trying to win at all costs, but rather to display a consistently high level of performance in order to make the most of every opportunity. We might have a healthy points advantage in the championship, but this is no time for resting on our laurels. With regard to the N°35 entry, we have resolved to follow a different path so that we are ready to grab every chance that comes our way to chase concrete results. We are all very excited by the prospect of getting to grips with this new Mexican circuit. Our drivers have spent a lot of time in our Ellip6 simulator and the team has established an excellent understanding of the Alpine A460, which will enable us to react quickly and efficiently in any situation.”
David Cheng: “I can’t wait to start racing in Mexico! It will be a new track and an altogether different challenge for all of us. In one respect, that might play in our favour because although we lacked prior experience of the European circuits in relation to our rivals, Mexico will represent a more level playing field. Since the Nürburgring, we have all taken the time to reflect and to analyse our strengths and our weaknesses. We have a strong car underneath us, an excellent team behind us and the pace to fight for the podium – but to get there, we really need to maximise every aspect of our performance. Moving forward, we intend to go on the attack, to take advantage of racing incidents rather than finding ourselves on the wrong end of them. If we can successfully put our bad luck behind us, I believe that this approach will pay dividends. I hope we will be able to put on a good show for the Mexican fans. From what I have seen in the simulator, the circuit looks fun to drive – and I am sure it will be even more spectacular when it is surrounded by packed grandstands! This will undoubtedly be a unique event for the WEC.”
Nicolas Lapierre: “The more experienced you become as a racing driver, the less likely it is that you will come across a completely new circuit, and I think it’s fair to say we are all extremely excited about competing in Mexico this weekend. More than ever in this case, the simulator has played an essential role in our preparations as we aim to hit the ground running. I have also been watching on-board camera videos from all the series that have raced around this circuit over the past year, which has allowed me to get a gauge of where the overtaking spots are, the nature of the kerbs and so forth. Once we are there, we will need to pay even closer attention than usual at every stage of the race week, right from our very first sighting lap on the track walk. From what I can tell, the circuit looks to be enjoyable to drive, with a long main straight, fast corners and a number of overtaking opportunities. In terms of car set-up, we will need to take into account not only the heat but also the altitude which will have an impact on both engine and aerodynamic performance. We obviously arrive in Mexico with a solid championship lead, but we know that a lot can happen in a six-hour race so we must continue to work hard and leave absolutely nothing to chance if we want to keep our title bid on course.”
TIMETABLE (local times, GMT-5)
Thursday, September 1Free Practice 1: 1:30pmFree Practice 2: 6:00pmFriday, September 2Free Practice 3: 10:00amQualifying: 2:40pmSaturday, September 3Race: 1:30pm
