A new era at Veloce Racing‘s Extreme E arm begins this weekend with new drivers and even a new manager. As Kevin Hansen and Molly Taylor prepare for their first race as Veloce drivers, the team has also appointed Luc Alphand as manager ahead of the Energy X Prix.
“Looking towards the future,” said Alphand in an Instagram post on Thursday. “Happy to join Veloce Racing as team manager. Let’s rock.”
Alphand is a decorated athlete in both alpine skiing and motorsport. He represented France at the 1988, 1992, and 1994 Winter Olympics, and is a four-time FIS Alpine World Ski Champion with titles in 1985, 1993, 1996, and 1997. 1997, his final year before retirement, also saw him claim the overall Alpine Skiing World Cup. He also won the World Cups in Downhill skiing from 1995 to 1997 and Super G in 1997.
After exiting skiing, he entered racing and quickly enjoyed success there in GT cars and rally raid. He made his Dakar Rally début in 1998, and from 2005 to 2007 finished no worse than second and even won the overall in 2006. That year proved to be the high point of his career as he also finished third in the G1 class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Alphand retired from regular racing in 2010 for medical reasons but remained involved with the sport. He has returned to the driver’s seat on occasion such as taking part in the 2018 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. In 2021, he became the Sporting Director of the Silk Way Rally after spending five years as an advisor to Race Director Vladimir Chagin, though his current role with the event is unknown following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Veloce hopes picking up Alphand and the new driver pairing will bring new life to the team as they are currently last in the standings. Hansen and Taylor will race for the team in 2023.
