Pierre Ragues and the Signatech Alpine Matmut LMP2 team have enjoyed a trouble-free and competitive start to the 2017 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, as the #35 crew topped the LMP2 timesheets in both sessions. 

 

For Signatech Alpine Matmut, who are fielding two cars into Le Mans, and indeed who won the LMP2 class last season, today’s test work centred on aerodynamics, car balance, tyre evaluation and brakes. For Pierre, in addition to set-up work on the #35 car, he reacquainted himself with the circuit on which he has contested the prestigious 24-hour race on ten occasions previously. 

 

This morning’s opening four-hour session, held in dry and warm conditions, saw the top-three cars separated at one point by just 0.7-seconds, showing just how closely fought the competition is this season. 

 

The #35 crew completed 38 laps over the four hours with all three drivers on good pace, albeit with different work programmes. It was André Negrão who claimed the best time of the session, a 3:29.809, but Pierre was more than satisfied with his own personal performance and contribution to the team’s run plan.

 

As the temperatures increased for the afternoon’s four-hour test, Pierre’s focus was on long runs, and establishing an important baseline for Le Mans week. Nelson Panciatici made good use of new Dunlop tyres to claim the fastest lap of the afternoon – and the best LMP2 time of the entire the day – an impressive 3:28.146. It represents a real statement of intent for the Signatech Alpine Matmut crew.

 

A change to the LMP2 technical regulations for 2017 means that cars are more powerful than last season, and the initial lap times of the 13.629km Circuit de la Sarthe track show just what increases have been made.

 

Based on today’s showing, Pierre is set for a competitive 11th Le Mans inside the cockpit of the Alpine A470 alongside Negrão and Panciatici. The timings for the official test day can often be inconclusive, but it is clear that there is stiff competition among the 25 entered LMP2 cars. 

 

Pierre said: “What a way to start the Le Mans period! We have had a fantastic day, completing 70 trouble-free laps and working well as a team to finish on top of the LMP2 timesheets in both sessions. We know this is just testing, but it gives us real motivation to know we can compete at the sharp end in a strong field of 25 LMP2 cars out of the 60 cars in total. I am happy with the job we have done and in my own pace and performance. Nelson and Andre performed really well today, and it’s a pleasure for me to line up alongside these guys, and in a professional team such as Signatech Alpine Matmut. We worked hard today – on aero, tyres, car balance and brakes – but we’ve achieved everything we wanted to, and I just want Le Mans week to be here. Thanks to everyone at Ellip6 for the valuable pre-event sim work, which has really paid off, and to my personal partners too for their support. We are looking in good shape, but as ever this one is a marathon not a sprint with a long way still ahead of us.”