Endurance star Pierre Ragues will be looking to get his seventh 24 Hours of Le Mans off to a flyer as he joins Signatech-Alpine for this Sunday’s official Le Mans test day at the 13.6km La Sarthe circuit.

 

Pierre will be joining his regular ELMS team-mate Nelson Panciatici at the test as well as Tristan Gommendy, who will be the team’s third driver at the gruelling 24 hour race later this month.

 

Pierre and Nelson recently scored a fantastic podium result at the 3 Hours of Imola ELMS event, battling hard to a well-deserved second place, and the team will be hoping to transfer some of that competitive performance into the Le Mans event, the highlight of the endurance season and one of the most beloved motorsport events the world over.

 

This year’s Le Mans will commemorate the 90th anniversary of the legendary event but will also herald the return of the Alpine name after 35 years of absence. The famous Alpine brand contested 11 Le Mans 24 Hours events between 1963 and 1978 with seven class wins so the 2013 event will be an extra special one for Pierre and the Signatech-Alpine squad.

 

Despite their impressive experience of the tough La Sarthe circuit, there is no substitute for track time so this Sunday’s one day test session will be important. It will be the only opportunity for all teams and drivers to test their machinery on the full course layout, which includes a number of public roads, before the first practice sessions get underway in two weeks from now. Pierre and the team will therefore be hoping for plenty of running with the Michelin-shod A450 to get preparations underway in the smoothest manner possible. The weather can, as always, play a role with unpredictable conditions causing disruption.  

 

Pierre Ragues said: “We are looking forward to returning to La Sarthe, a track we know so well from previous events but one which always demands a lot. It will be important for us to get some decent running on Sunday to prepare the car and our team operations in the best way possible. This year’s race will be important because it is the 90th anniversary and we, as a team, have the honour of racing with the Alpine name for the first time at Le Mans for 35 years. This will be my seventh Le Mans so I know from experience how important good preparation is for this event. We will spend time on Sunday to make sure that all three drivers – myself, Nelson and Tristan – get good track time and set up the Signatech-Alpine A450 for the demands of the track. We had a short test at Magny-Cours after Imola but nothing beats being at Le Mans itself. It’s a real pleasure and one which I am pleased to share with Signatech-Alpine and my sponsors Group Auto. After our second place finish at Imola, we are all in good spirits so let’s see what Sunday brings!”