Pierre Ragues and Signatech-Alpine have laid down an encouraging performance in today’s official Le Mans test with the A450 heading the timesheets for much of today’s two sessions and ending the day just outside the top ten overall. 

 

The test day has been held in largely wet conditions although the 13.6km La Sarthe circuit did begin to dry rapidly midway through the afternoon session, allowing drivers to lower their lap times significantly on slick tyres. Three red flag incidents during the day added some disruption but did not distract the Signatech-Alpine squad. 

 

In the wet morning session, Pierre dominated the LMP2 category as the team, who are bringing the Alpine name back to Le Mans for the first time in 35 years, set a consistently fast pace in the Michelin-equipped A450 race car. The team amassed 27 laps in the morning with Pierre Ragues consistently at the top of the classification in tricky conditions. 

 

The team continued to show a similar pace in the afternoon with Tristan Gommendy and Nelson Panciatici both setting the pace as the track dried up. Pierre drove a handful of laps in the drying conditions before handing over to Panciatici, who carried on the team’s programme on a fully dry track with an equally strong pace to leave the Signatech-Alpine name just 0.8s off the top of the LMP2 timings in eleventh place overall, and having completed a total of 43 laps this afternoon.  

 

Signatech-Alpine has made good use of today’s sole test in preparation for the 24 Hours of Le Mans that gets underway with initial scrutineering taking place one week from today. The team has looked at the set-up of the car in the changing weather, conducting valuable running in both full wet, drying and dry track conditions and working with Michelin on tyres. 

 

Pierre Ragues will now aim to use his vast experience, which includes participation in six previous Le Mans 24 Hours events, to help the Signatech-Alpine team to prepare as diligently as possible for the most challenging event on the endurance calendar. 

 

Pierre Ragues commented: “It has been a fantastic start to our preparations for this year’s Le Mans in today’s official test. We were quick right from the outset in the wet, which were far from ideal driving conditions, and I was happy to show my pace and comfort at the helm of the Signatech-Alpine A450 LMP2 car. We gained a lot of valuable track time in mixed track conditions and were able to show our pace in the wet and dry, which is very encouraging. Obviously, Le Mans requires close attention to all areas of the car performance and reliability, but we can take heart from today’s performance but continue to work hard to prepare ourselves for the bigger tests to come in the next two weeks. It has been great to share the car with Tristan and Nelson today and to work so positively with the Signatech-Alpine team and with Michelin to begin our 2013 Le Mans adventure.”