China hosts the penultimate round of the FIA WEC this weekend, with the 6 Hours of Shanghai.
Clear leaders in the LMP2 category, Nicolas Lapierre, Stéphane Richelmi and Gustavo Menezes have a chance to secure the world title for Signatech-Alpine before the end of the season.
This round will be particularly important for Baxi DC Racing Alpine. At their home race, David Cheng and Ho-Pin Tung – along with Frenchman Paul-Loup Chatin – will be determined to do well!
A year on from its first race win in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) with the Alpine A450b, the Signatech-Alpine team returns to a happy hunting ground. At the Shanghai international circuit, the team flying the French flag has a historic opportunity. This time, a world title is at stake!
The no.36 Signatech-Alpine leads the LMP2 standings, 35 points ahead of the no.43 RGR Sport by Morand. With two rounds left, it is now certain that the champion will come from one of these two teams.
Having secured four race wins (Spa-Francorchamps, 24 Hours of Le Mans, Nürburgring and Austin) and two other podium finishes (Mexico and Fuji), Nicolas Lapierre, Stéphane Richelmi and Gustavo Menezes have put themselves in a very strong position.
The pressure is very much on the shoulders of their rivals, who have to pull off an incredible feat to overcome the French team.
The no.36 Signatech-Alpine will, for example, win the LMP2 title in Shanghai if it:- Wins the race or finishes as runner-up, regardless of the result of the no.43 car- Finishes third or fourth if the no.43 car does not finish higher than second- Finishes fifth or sixth if the no.43 car does not finish higher than third- Finishes seventh or eighth if the no.43 car does not finish higher than fourth- Finishes ninth if the no.43 car does not finish higher than fifth- Finishes anywhere if the no.43 car does not finish higher than sixth
And yet, Philippe Sinault's outfit has no need for a calculator. Their aim will be no different to all the previous rounds, i.e. secure the best possible result by maintaining their concentration, staying calm and keeping their feet on the ground!
This weekend will also be something of a milestone for the no.35 Baxi DC Racing Alpine. The only Chinese drivers to be competing in the FIA WEC, David Cheng and Ho-Pin Tung will obviously be in the limelight! Victory at the 4 Hours of Zhuhai last weekend, a result secured outside of their programme with Alpine, means they come into what is a very important weekend at the end of the season on a positive run.
Joined by Paul-Loup Chatin since the 6 Hours of Fuji, David and Ho-Pin will be keen to improve on their personal best result, fifth place in Mexico.
Following three free practice sessions, qualifying will be held on Saturday at 2pm for the LMP1 and LMP2 prototypes. The 6 Hours of Shanghai will get underway on Sunday at 11am local time.
Bernard Ollivier, Alpine Deputy Managing Director: "We all remember the Alpine A450b's victory at last year's 6 Hours of Shanghai, secured with a one-lap lead. It's unlikely that we will see a repeat of that situation in 2016, given that the gaps between the leading contenders are so narrow. And that's good for the sport! Mathematically, it seems that we have a very good chance of winning the title this weekend. Such a performance would highlight the fantastic spirit of the team this season. The no.36 Signatech-Alpine drivers have shown just how motivated they are and they are all focused on this goal. It's also a very important race for the no.35 Baxi DC Racing Alpine. I hope that David Cheng and Ho-Pin Tung will perform well on home soil. As far as the team is concerned, we're doing everything we can to get them in the best possible shape!"
Philippe Sinault, Signatech-Alpine Team Principal: "Winning here in 2015 was an important step, because it meant we could consider ourselves to be title contenders in 2016. Obviously, we're very close to the winning post, but we have to approach this weekend like all the others. We know what is at stake. It's undoubtedly in the back of our minds, but we have to try not to think about it! We are in this situation because we have worked well as a team and we must continue to do what we have been doing all season, without overlooking the slightest detail. We saw in Fuji that we were able to make the most of a potentially difficult situation. In Shanghai, I think we will be more comfortable, because the three long straights will give us the opportunity to make the most of the Alpine A460's aerodynamic qualities. The coming days may well be pretty emotional, especially for David Cheng and Ho-Pin Tung. We can tell already that there will be a lot of interest in the no.35 Baxi DC Racing Alpine. Our aim will be to help the car to record its best result of the season."SCHEDULE (GMT+8)
Friday, 4 NovemberFree practice 1 – 10.00amFree practice 2 – 3.30pmSaturday, 5 NovemberFree practice 3 – 9.00amQualifying – 2.00pmSunday, 6 NovemberRace – 11.00am
