Photo: Courtesy of Alpine
Signatech Alpine missed out on a podium finish today in Shanghai by just five tenths of a second, but fourth place was enough to secure for the first time the FIA Endurance Trophy for LMP2 teams. Unsurprisingly, the team was jubilant in its celebrations.
Gustavo Menezes, Nicolas Lapierre and Stéphane Richelmi have rarely put a foot or wheel wrong this year, winning four of the eight FIA WEC rounds so far including the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
“This is a great achievement after a brilliant season,” said Nicolas Lapierre. “This is the first race since Silverstone that we have finished outside of the podium which tells you that we have had a really super year. To win Le Mans and the WEC in one season is really satisfying. The Signatech Alpine team have been mega all season and they deserve a big party tonight.”
Photo: 24 Hours of Le Mans 2016
Signatech entered the WEC last year, taking its first class victory at the 2015 6 Hours of Shanghai. In 2016, the Philippe Sinault-led team brought together the youth of Menezes and Richelmi and the very experienced Lapierre. The driving trio, combined with the Alpine A460 Nissan, has worked perfectly and the French team has celebrated victory at Spa, Le Mans, Nürburgring and Circuit of the Americas in Austin, backed up by two further podium finishes (2nd in Mexico and 3rd in Fuji).
“If you had told me this time last year I would be a Le Mans and WEC champion I would not have believed you,” said WEC rookie Gustavo Menezes. “It is a big tribute to the whole Signatech Alpine team and I would like to say a big thank you to everyone involved in this great success.”
Left to right: Stéphane Richelmi, Gustavo Menezes, Nicolas Lapierre
Its accumulation to date of 183 points gives Signatech Alpine and its drivers a 32-points, unassailable advantage going into the final round, the Bapco 6 Hours of Bahrain on Saturday 19 November.
“What a journey, what a great achievement by the Signatech Alpine team,” said Stéphane Richelmi. “It was an irony we didn’t make the podium today as we have been on it nearly all season but we got the big prize! I am so proud of the whole team and big thanks to the boss Phillipe Sinault.”
