ALPINE READY TO JOIN BATTLE IN 2014

In 2014, the Alpine A450 will be shared by Frenchmen Nelson Panciatici and Paul-Loup Chatin, plus Britain’s Oliver Webb to defend the 2013 the 2013 European Le Mans Series crown.

Thirty-five years after withdrawing from motorsport following its win in the 1978 Le Mans 24 Hours, Alpine made its eagerly-awaited return to circuit racing in 2013 – and promptly triumphed in the European Le Mans Series (ELMS).

With an ambitious programme ahead as it prepares for the launch of the new ‘Berlinette of the 21st Century’ (due to go on sale in 2016), Alpine is looking to defend its title this season. Three men will share the driving during what will be longer, four-hour races this year, with the outgoing ELMS champ Nelson Panciatici joined by Paul-Loup Chatin (Alpine’s ‘Junior’ driver in 2013)and ex-Formula Renault 3.5 Series runner Oliver Webb.

This year’s campaign, which is structured around the Le Mans 24 Hours, with the ELMS as its backbone, will also herald the arrival of new partners, such as Dieppe Maritime, a conglomeration of urban districts in the Dieppe region, long-time home of the Alpine brand. The Team keeps on working with Michelin, a long standing partner, which was involved in Alpine’s previous successes during the 1960’s and ‘70s.

“Humility has always been a hallmark of our brand and it continued to underpin our approach when we returned to endurance racing last season,” says Alpine Director Bernard Ollivier. “The objective of the programme’s first year was to reacquaint ourselves with the discipline. This season, our aim is to defend our European title right from the opening round at Silverstone, whilst the other key target will be to showcase our potential and performance in the Le Mans 24 Hours.”

“As defending champions, it would be inconceivable not to want to retain our ELMS title,” notes Signatech-Alpine Team Principal Philippe Sinault. “Our team received tremendous support throughout 2013, and it was fantastic to be able to share our success with everyone. In 2014, we need to confirm that promise as we continue to lay the foundations for Alpine’s renaissance. Season two ushers in a number of changes, including the promotion of our ‘Junior’ driver Paul-Loup Chatin to the main squad and the arrival of Britain’s Oliver Webb alongside Nelson Panciatici. We will similarly reveal some aesthetic modifications at Silverstone that are sure to please Alpine’s fans.”

The season got underway at the beginning of April with two days of testing at Paul Ricard, France. Notwithstanding a collision in the first session – which gave the technical staff a chance to demonstrate their talent as they restored the Alpine A450 to full health – Signatech-Alpine posted the fourth-fastest lap time and, crucially, completed a high number of laps.

The 2013 ELMS Champion Nelson Panciatici recalls the horrendous weather that marked last year’s visit to Silverstone: “We were fast, but the race was interrupted for a long time and ultimately halted early because of the rain. It was the most frustrating event of the season. This time round, we’re out for revenge. The target is victory and a big points haul!”

Source: Alpine

Available from Veloce! Alpine Renault – The fabulous berlinettes
By Roy Smith
The berlinettes were fragile, beautifully designed, lightweight road rockets. For the first time, Alpine Renault enthusiasts around the world can read the complete history of these cars in English.
This important new book is not just for owners of Alpine Renaults, but for all those interested in rallying and its spectacular period of rapid development in the late 1960s and early '70s. Hear from the men who built the cars, some of the great drivers who became famous driving them, the team manager, the Rédélé family – creators of the car – and the mechanics who kept the cars going. The story covers the concept, the first cars, the early road cars, and their entry into competition on the European rallying circuit, with full charted documentary details.
The Alpine A110 berlinette was a car born to compete, born to win. This is its story.

REVIEWS ROUND-UP

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LIMITED EDITION ALPINE RENAULT BERLINETTE BOOKS PERSONALLY SIGNED BY ROY SMITH

We were delighted to welcome Roy Smith to Veloce House this week to sign a limited supply of copies of his brand new book!

Until our stocks are exhausted, signed copies can only be bought from Veloce’s website by requesting a signed copy during the purchase process. First come, first served!

New! Alpine Renault – The fabulous berlinettes by Roy Smith
The berlinettes were fragile, beautifully designed, lightweight road rockets. For the first time, Alpine Renault enthusiasts around the world can read the complete history of these cars in English.
This important new book is not just for owners of Alpine Renaults, but for all those interested in rallying and its spectacular period of rapid development in the late 1960s and early '70s. Hear from the men who built the cars, some of the great drivers who became famous driving them, the team manager, the Rédélé family – creators of the car – and the mechanics who kept the cars going. The story covers the concept, the first cars, the early road cars, and their entry into competition on the European rallying circuit, with full charted documentary details.
The Alpine A110 berlinette was a car born to compete, born to win. This is its story.

Click here for more info about the book!

NEW VIDEO! ALPINE RENAULT – THE FABULOUS BERLINETTES ... AN INTERVIEW WITH ROY SMITH

The first comprehensive history of the ‘berlinette’ in English, is published this month by Veloce.

Coming soon! Alpine Renault – The fabulous berlinettes by Roy Smith.
- Limited to 1500 copies -
The berlinettes were fragile, beautifully designed, lightweight road rockets. For the first time, Alpine Renault enthusiasts around the world can read the complete history of them in English.
This book is not just for owners of Alpine Renaults, but for all those interested in rallying and its spectacular period of rapid development in the late 1960s and early '70s. Hear from the men who built the cars, some of the great drivers who became famous driving them, the team manager, the Redele family – creators of the car – and the mechanics who kept the cars going. The story covers the concept, the first cars, the early road cars, and their entry into competition on the European rallying circuit, with full charted documentary details.
The Alpine A110 berlinette was a car born to compete, born to win. This is its story.

Click here for more info about the book!

AUTHOR PROFILE No.6: ROY SMITH

Roy Smith is the author of 5 Veloce books. His latest, Alpine Renault - the fabulous berlinettes, is published this month.

Roy Smith has owned over 50 cars since the age of 17! His love of the four-wheeled machines began at an early age, coming from his grandfather who had engines and machinery in his blood. Roy’s middle childhood years saw his interest spread to aircraft – not unnaturally, as it was only a few years after the war and Spitfires and Meteors could still be seen flying around on a regular basis. But in his teens it was racing cars that commandeered Roy’s thoughts, along with girls ... both expensive!

In a Vampire Fighter at RAF Benson aged around 7.

The F1200 race car self-built aged around 19.

The rallying Mini Van in 1968.
At 18 Roy joined the Craven Motor club in Reading, at the time a hot bed of rallying. A few years later, having been sick in other people’s cars so many times whilst navigating that no one would give him a ride, he built a Mini Van Rally car and got behind the wheel himself.
Roy soon began writing articles for local clubs. His first interview was with John Horseman and the JW Gulf team, then running Jo Sieffert and Pedro Rodriguez in the 917 Porsches (1969/70). Over the coming years, various cars passed through Roy’s hands. A Ford Anglia, A Viva SL 90, several Minis including Coopers. He built the Formula 1200 race car whilst functioning as Reading Centre Secretary of the 750 Motor Club.

Hillclimbing a Ford Anglia in 1969.

Cycle racing team in the early 1980's (Roy second from left).

Testing a factory Alpine A110 berlinette in 1984.
The motoring life was always a learning curve, sometimes easy, sometimes steep. Roy continued writing for several years until work, marriage and a family intervened. The Formula 1200 car was sold unraced. Life settled down in a career that would span 40 years in sales – first in retail, then advertising, then machine tools, onto special equipment for chemical and pharmaceutical companies, and latterly water treatment works equipment, including entire plant contracts. As a company director for French and German companies until his retirement in 2003, BMWs, Citroëns, Peugeots, Alfa Romeos, Alpine Renaults and Porsches all came his way.

Castle Combe trackday in the 1990s.

Spoils of victory in 1996.

Hillclimb Championship winning A110 berlinette in 1997.

Racing an MV Agusta in 2001.
Roy hillclimbed and sprinted with a single-seater Jedi in the early ’90s, winning five regional championships. In 1997 he won a classic hillclimb championship with an Alpine Renault A110 berlinette, and raced an MV Augusta not so successfully in the late ’90s. But it was after his retirement that he returned to writing; for magazines at first, before moving on to books. So far he has given the motoring world five specialist titles: four about Alpine and Renault – three covering their Formula 1 and Sports Prototypes stories, plus his latest about the berlinette A110s – and a book about the life and times of racing engine legend Amédée Gordini. Roy is currently working on a book about the almost forgotten Porsche 924 Carreras. His hallmarks are intricate research, sourcing hundreds of photos, first-person interviews, detailed diagrams, and a talent for uncovering fresh new information about a rare subject. Roy won the Mercedes Benz Prize and Montagu of Beaulieu Trophy in 2010 for his work on the Sports Prototype Alpines.

Who knows what the future may bring? Roy’s current stable of cars includes a Morgan +4, a Porsche 911 and one of the 924 Carrera Porsches that form the subject of his next work. A member of the Guild of Motoring Writers, Roy continues to look for new and interesting subjects, preferably to be the first to document their history in English before it is all forgotten.

Click here to view all books by Roy Smith.

AUTHOR ROY SMITH SIGNING GORDINI BOOKS

Yesterday Roy Smith signed copies of Amédée Gordini – a true racing legend for historic car specialist Eddie McGuire.



Eddie McGuire is a gentleman racing driver of some note. He owns several historic racing cars including the only racing Gordini sports car that is raced on a regular basis. The Type 23 Gordini GCS19 as driven by Jean Behra. Eddie has a lot of friends so he bought several books and asked Roy to sign them all, each with a special dedication.

Amédée Gordini – a true racing legend
By Roy Smith.

This is the story of a man, a team, and their life and times, as well as a complete record of all their achievements and failures. It logs the financial and personal cost of racing in the prewar and postwar periods. It tells of how the mighty car company Renault became involved with them in the late 1950s, and how Amedee Gordini became known throughout the world as one of the greatest engine tuners of his time. More info.



Independent reviews

'Book of the month' - Classic & Sports Car, May 2013.

'The wealth of information here is staggering, and the race-by-race summary is particularly welcome' - Octane, May 2013.

'Utterly absorbing' - Classic Cars, May 2013.

'Gordini's endless enthusiasm and prolific output make for an involving tale.' – MotorSport, June 2013

AMÉDÉE GORDINI – BOOK OF THE MONTH!

Amédée Gordini – a true racing legend by Roy Smith is BOOK OF THE MONTH in the May 2013 edition of Classic & Sports Car magazine!

Click image to view full size
This is the story of a man, a team, and their life and times, as well as a complete record of all their achievements and failures. It logs the financial and personal cost of racing in the prewar and postwar periods. It tells of how the mighty car company Renault became involved with them in the late 1950s, and how Amedee Gordini became known throughout the world as one of the greatest engine tuners of his time.

Watch the interview with Roy Smith!

Click HERE for more info about the book!

NEW VIDEO! AMÉDÉE GORDINI - 'LE SORCIER' LIVES ON ... AN INTERVIEW WITH ROY SMITH

Coming soon! Amédée Gordini – a true racing legend by Roy Smith.



Forewords by José Froilán González, Sir Stirling Moss & Christian Huet.


This is a story of excitement, laughs, astonishment and anger – a story of the determination of a man with a dream and a passion for motor racing in the big leagues. It is the first time that the history of the always under-financed Gordini racing team has been documented in English, and the first complete story of Gordini himself in any language. This volume will appeal to new enthusiasts and old hands of Formula 1 and sports prototypes, especially those who have owned a Gordini engined-car. It charts Gordini’s early life and beginnings in motorsport, up to 1969 when Renault took over the Gordini company, keeping his name on all the racing engines until 1986, before finally resurrecting it for a performance version of the Renault Twingo and Clio in 2009. The book is packed with evocative period images from important collections, supplementary transcripts in English from many contemporary interviews, plus recollections from former employees remembering their time working with Gordini, and an exhaustive set of statistics. All the way it’s a roller coaster of joy, despair, humour, and stunning images. The racing legend of ‘Le Sorcier’ lives on ...


Click here for more info about the book!

LE MANS 24 HRS: THE N°36 ALPINE REVEALED

It was a little less than 35 years ago that the 1978 Le Mans 24 Hours-winning Alpine-Renault A442B paraded down the Champs-Elysées in front of a cheering crowd who turned out to show their appreciation for the car’s success in the hands of Jean-Pierre Jaussaud and Didier Pironi. Today, the Parisian public and visitors to the French capital have another chance to discover the A442B, since it is one of the centrepieces of the ‘No Limit!’ exhibition which is currently running at L’Atelier Renault (until April 7).

The Champs Elysees premises consequently provided the ideal backdrop for the revelation of the new Alpine prototype which is poised to compete in this year’s endurance racing season. Société des Automobiles Alpine-Caterham’s CEO Bernard Ollivier and Philippe Sinault, Signatech-Alpine Team Principal, lifted the veil to reveal a striking blue and orange livery which recalls the colours sported by the Alpines which raced at Le Mans some five decades ago.

“Since the announcement of Alpine’s revival on November 5 last year, we have been moving forward step by step,” said Bernard Ollivier. “The unveiling of this splendid car marks the beginning of another phase. It will turn a wheel for the first time very soon, and its maiden race will follow shortly afterwards. The news of our endurance racing programme received a very positive welcome, not only from diehard Alpine enthusiasts, but also from the world of motor racing in general. We can hardly wait to see our brand’s colours in action!”

“I am extremely proud to be representing Alpine, but it as an honour which goes hand in hand with significant responsibilities,” noted Philippe Sinault. “The next step is to take the car to Paul Ricard where our work will begin in earnest. Our aim is to be competitive in endurance racing’s highly competitive LMP2 class. We will use the different test sessions that are planned, as well as the first two rounds of the ELMS, to prepare for June’s Le Mans 24 Hours which is clearly the focal point of the season.”

The drivers who have been named to share the N°36 Alpine-Renault form a blend of experience and youth, and all three are keen to get behind its wheel. Nelson Panciatici, 24, and Pierre Ragues, 29, who were confirmed at the time of the programme’s original announcement, will be joined for the Le Mans 24 Hours by 34-year old Tristan Gommendy. The three Frenchmen all rose up through the ranks of Renault’s single-seater formulae and, between them, total 10 previous participations in the world’s most famous motor race. Another French youngster, Paul-Loup Chatin, has been chosen as the car’s reserve driver.

Source: Alpine

ALPINE TO COMPETE AT LE MANS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 35 YEARS

On 5 November 2012, Renault’s senior management announced its intention to revive the Alpine brand within the framework of a partnership with Caterham. Today, under the leadership of CEO Bernard Ollivier, the recently-created Société des Automobiles Alpine Caterham is already working on a new car which is expected to reach the market in 2016.

In the meantime, the brand is gradually building up to its return to consolidate its image thanks to carefully-tailored programmes in all its traditional areas of activity.

After presentations at the 2012 Monaco F1 Grand Prix and at the Le Mans Classic week of the Alpine A110-50, which was released to mark the 50th anniversary of the celebrated ‘Berlinette’, five Alpine A110s were officially entered for the recent Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique. They were given a warm welcome by the public and afterwards joined other models of the make founded byJean Rédélé at the Rétromobile Show in Paris, France, at the beginning of February.

Today, another important step has been taken with the announcement that an Alpineprototype is to race in the competitive 2013 European Le Mans Series endurance racing championship (ELMS), as well as at this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours (June 22-23).

The decision to compete at Le Mans fits perfectly with the brand’s heritage, since Alpine contested the famous 24-hour race 11 times between 1963 and 1978, running a total of 55 factory cars. In addition to its successes in the ‘Energy Index’ classification in 1964, 1965 and 1968, as well as in the ‘Performance Index’ classification in 1968 and 1969, its efforts harvested seven class wins in total and, above all, outright victory in 1978 with the Alpine A442B prototype shared by Jean-Pierre Jaussaud and Didier Pironi. The two Frenchmen were joined in the top four by the A442 ofJean Ragnotti and Guy Fréquelin.

For its return to Le Mans, Alpine has joined forces with Signatech. ThePhilippe Sinault-run team will enter an Alpine LMP2 prototype with anAlpine chassis powered by a 500hp Nissan engine for the five rounds of the ELMS, including the opening race at Silverstone, England (13 April). The drivers will be Pierre Ragues and Nelson Panciatici.

The highlight of the season will naturally be the Le Mans 24 Hours. The name of the third driver who will join the team for the world’s most famous endurance race will be announced when the car is officially presented at Le Castellet, France, on 24 March.

Source: Alpine

Click HERE to view all Alpine books by Veloce!