“We’ll need to find our bearings as quickly as possible, then we’ll be able to focus on the set-up of the car. This is a unique opportunity to work at the Circuit de la Sarthe, which is very different from any other circuit. We’ll also be concentrating on the tyres, now we’re starting to understand their subtleties. They are a key component, especially at Le Mans!”. It looks like Alpine has an industrious weekend in store, as it is fielding two cars this year. The team really hopes the two-car strategy will pay off, because the six drivers and the technical staff all work very closely together. “Even though the track will still be ‘green’ [in other words, it is messy after being used by regular traffic for the rest of the year], the data we collect will be crucial for the race and with two cars, we have the edge on our rivals. It’s down to us to capitalise on that.”

Panciatici and his Chinese team-mates, David Cheng and Ho-Pin Tung finished seventh in LM P2 at Silverstone but were forced to retire in Belgium after tagging another car. The start of the season might have been tougher than hoped but there is clearly potential. At the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) Prologue, David Cheng proved that he could be fast, achieving the fourth best time in the LM P2 class, just ahead of Bruno Senna. “With David Cheng et Ho Pin Tung, we’ve forged a really strong team spirit, and that’s important for this race. I'm really looking forward to the race and the thrills that parts of the track deliver, such as the Porsche Curves. It’s a magical race, and I’ve been looking forward to it for most of the past year!”

Things kick off for Nelson Panciatici, the Alpine team and fans of the world’s greatest endurance race this Sunday! The cars will be out on the track from 9 a.m. 

Quotes courtesy of a Nelson Panciatici press release (translated)

Photo: with his teammates David Cheng and Ho-Pin Tung, Nelson Panciatici will be flying the flag for Alpine during his fifth outing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.