Alpine currently competes in the FIA World Endurance Championship in the LMP2 class, but come 2024 the French performance marque will enter the premier Hypercar class with a new race car built to LMDh regulations.
Fans won’t have to wait until the new season to see the car as Alpine will present it for the first time on June 9 on the sidelines of the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans. The French classic is the highlight of the WEC calendar.
LMDh cars race alongside LMH cars in the WEC’s Hypercar class, with Balance of Performance rules used to provide an even playing field. Lamborghini is also set to join the fray in 2024 with an LMDh race car of its own.
Although LMDh cars are also eligible for the GTP class of the IMSA SportsCar Championship, Alpine hasn’t said whether it will tackle the North American series.
2023 Alpine A110 R
Alpine is committed to at least four seasons of LMDh and plans to field two cars per season, working closely with its current endurance racing partner, Signatech.
To keep a lid on costs, teams competing in LMDh need to use a chassis from one of four suppliers. Alpine has selected a chassis from Oreca.
For the power unit, Alpine in 2021 said it will use its own design, developed using knowledge gained from its Formula 1 program. Alpine is both a constructor and power unit supplier in F1, and plans to stay there to help build brand awareness in the U.S. and China, where interest in F1 is growing. Alpine hasn’t committed to selling cars in these markets but has been dropping major hints.
The 2023 Le Mans race runs the weekend starting June 10. Alpine will present the LMDh in a specially prepared area known as the Alpine Paddock, where the automaker will also have on display the previously revealed Alpenglow hypercar and A290 Beta hot hatch concepts. The automaker will also present a Le Mans-themed A110 R sports car that will be available in limited numbers.
