Alpine A424_β endurance racer revealed

Endurance motor racing is poised to join the push to electric and hybrid power – and Renault's fast-car division Alpine is preparing a 'hypercar' for 2024 and beyond.

Alpine is making a return to the peak category of endurance racing with the new Alpine A424_ß racer (pronounced A242 beta) as it gears up to compete in the LMDh (Le Mans Daytona hybrid) class of the 2024 World Endurance Championship, including the iconic Le Mans 24 hour race.

Alpine has been involved with endurance racing since 2013, and for 2023 fielded a team in the LMP2 (Le Mans Prototype) category, driving the Alpine A470 racer. The LMP2 class cars are strictly designed as pure racers and use a 4.2-litre V8 engine, whereas the top-tier 'hypercar' category employs a petrol-electric hybrid system and allows teams to experiment with bolder designs that present a brand statement as much as they do an aerodynamic one.

The A424_ß prototype was unveiled following the 2023 Le Mans 24 hour race last weekend.

The name of the Alpine A424_ß carries significant historical references. The first '4' in the name pays homage to the Renault Alpine A442B, which secured the brand's last overall victory in the Le Mans 24-hour race back in 1978. The '24' represents both the length of the race and the year when this car will make its racing debut.

Alpine has teamed up with French racing team Oreca, one of the four manufacturers eligible for the LMDh category, to develop the car's chassis. The cars themselves will be managed and operated by Signatech, a long-standing partner of Alpine. The collaboration between Signatech and Alpine has proven successful in the past, earning them two World Endurance Championship titles in the LMP2 class in 2016 and 2018-19.

The LMDh regulations offer flexibility in the design of cars (unlike Formula 1, for instance) and the exterior new LED headlights borrowing from Alpine concept cars at the front and ‘A-Arrow’ signature taillights at the rear. The overall shape of the Alpine Alpenglow concept, initially unveiled last year, serves as the foundation for the A424's design, with notable details accentuating its flanks. A central fin extends from the roof-mounted air intake all the way to the large rear wing.

Competing in the LMDh category, the Alpine A424_ß will face tough competition from established entrants such as the latest winner Ferrari, as well as stalwart competitors Toyota, Porsche, and Cadillac. Furthermore, Lamborghini also plans to join the class in 2024.