Andretti Autosport have confirmed they are in talks with Alpine for a possible LMDh entry in 2024.
Alpine currently have an entry in the FIA World Endurance Championship, running the sole LMP1 car in the Hypercar class. In 2021, they took the fight to Toyota Gazoo Racing and although taking a pole position, they were no match for the Japanese team. The Signatech-run Alpine entry will be back on the grid in 2022 with their LMP1, but the team have confirmed they will start their LMDh program in 2024. A program Andretti is interested in getting involved in.
Speaking with David Land, Mario Andretti confirmed that a formal agreement is in place with Renault for the team to take on the French manufacturers’ engines as part of the American team’s very public discussions on joining the Formula One grid. Dates and further details are still not confirmed, but this deal with Renault shows a clear mission of intent. This supplier deal has also opened up the opportunity for Andretti and Renault to work together in sports car racing as well, namely the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
With the new LMH/LMDh combined sporting regulations that allows entries in both WEC and IMSA to race in each of the championships, an IMSA entry for Andretti and Alpine in the LMDh class would open the door for the team to focus on the IMSA championship whilst also taking a chance at claiming overall victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
“We have a lot of friends there in Formula 1,” Andretti told Land. “It’s one big family. Michael has been obviously talking with that group, Alpine, to field a sports car program and so on and so forth. There’s a lot of moving parts here. All of it works, ultimately. I think we’re reliant on a lot of good people.”
Thus far, no further information is available about the legitimacy of these talks, but Michael Andretti is seeking a top-level sports car return and Andretti have been speaking with Audi about joining their LMDh efforts next year. With the Audi deal shut down for now, could Alpine be the team’s way back into sports car racing and potentially Formula One?
