Pierre Ragues and the Signatech Alpine Elf team got their 2019/2020 FIA World Endurance Championship campaign off to a stunning start with a competitive second place finish in the LMP2 class, and sixth overall, at the 4 Hours of Silverstone. 

 

The result marked Pierre’s best-ever LMP2 category finish in WEC (second place) and the team’s ninth consecutive podium in the series. In an eventful and highly charged race, the Signatech Alpine Elf crew were on strong form in the #36 Alpine A470 Gibson, with the team producing an excellent race strategy in quickly evolving conditions. 

 

From fifth, Andre Negrão enjoyed a solid start, jostling for position during the usual frantic opening lap. An early safety car neutralised the field for a few laps, before the race resumed around 15 minutes in. Andre continued to move up the order, staking the team’s claim to a podium position. 

 

With 90 minutes gone, Pierre took over with the rain forecast to arrive over the Silverstone circuit. With no rain falling at the time of his stop, Pierre started his opening stint on slicks, but within just three laps the rain arrived, requiring a trip to the pits for intermediate Michelin rubber. 

 

On his out lap, as drivers scrambled in for wet weather tyres, Pierre got caught out in the worsening conditions at the exit of the pitlane; the car snapped and hit the Armco barrier damaging the front right of his car. He carried out and completed his first stint despite the damage, retaining the team’s third place. 

 

The Signatech Alpine Elf mechanics did a great job at his next stop to replace the nose losing just ten seconds of time, as Pierre set strong lap times on the occasion of his WEC return. 

 

He handed over to Thomas Laurent with 1h45 remaining under safety car conditions. Thomas pushed right up to the chequered flag to hunt down second place, which he claimed in spectacular fashion on the final lap of the race.

 

Pierre said: “I am delighted to take my best-ever LMP2 result in WEC, second place, in the opening round of the 2019/2020 season. It was an eventful race with a range of weather and track situations that the team reacted to superbly. We showed the pace of the Alpine A470 and Michelin tyres in all conditions, with some competitive stints. It was a wonderful team effort, alongside my team-mates Andre and Thomas, and allowed us to get our season off to a great start. My own stint was compromised by some damage after I hit the pit lane exit barrier when on inters; I just got caught out in the conditions. The mechanics did a great job to minimise the time loss when changing the front of the car at my next stop, and we were able to keep hold of our podium place. Overall, it is a result which gives us a positive platform from which to build. On a more important note, though, this has been an incredibly sad weekend for the motorsport community and our thoughts remain with the family, friends and colleagues of Anthoine Hubert.” 

 

 

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