Signatech and Alpine tackle Pikes Peak, a motorsports monument in the United States

The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is one of the oldest, if legendary, stock car races still active in the United States. Contested in the Rocky Mountains since 1916, this monument of sport has undergone many changes in a century while remaining one of the best sporting challenges out there. This hill climb offers a 19.93km route punctuated by 156 turns with a start at 2865m above sea level and a higher reach of about 1440m.

A project directed by François Letort

Teams from Alpine and Signatech will take on Pikes Peak on Sunday, June 25th with the Alpine A110 GT4 Evo. The car, equipped with aerodynamic body kits forced to flatten to the ground, was the subject of a real jeweler’s work to understand the intricacies of this legendary ascent. In conjunction with the Alpine Design Bureau, Signatech engineers and technicians, under the direction of Lionel Chevalier, Signatech Technical Director, and François Letort, Project Manager, focused particularly on aerodynamics and engine mass. to meet the challenges posed.

For its debut at Pikes Peak, Alpine will be able to draw on the experience of Rafal Astier. Winner of the FIA ​​R-GT Trophy with the Alpine A110 Rally in 2022, the French driver has four entries in the event to his credit. In his third start, he even achieved his class’s record—in the Time Attack 1 class—by completing his climb at 9’23”721.

Philippe Sennault: “Halfway between a hill climb and a rally special”

“Pikes Peak is one of the motorsports events not to be missed,” explains Philippe Sennault, Managing Director of Signatech. We were all fed the iconic images of this climb and this dream naturally made its way within our teams after a report on Pikes Peak during an all-nighter while testing in Spain. We are competitors and the proposed challenge is more than attractive. We fully realize that this is a completely different, unique and specific exercise on this very unusual course, halfway between a hill climb and a private rally, but that only makes this athletic and technical challenge all the more stimulating. Above all, we want to inscribe the Alpine name in this event, and this great event will allow us to first position ourselves in relation to said competition in our category. Even if we weren’t aiming for a zero, we know we can count on a versatile, high-performance car with the A110 GT4 Evo that adapts to the idiosyncrasies of the event. We are also fortunate to benefit from the support of our loyal partner Michelin, and from one of our best ambassadors in Raphaël Astier, who already has a lot of experience with this project. We are very happy that he has agreed to join us to continue the adventure after he secured his international title with Alpine. This commitment also helps solidify Alpine’s position as a brand present in all areas of motorsport expression, including in the United States along with its three Formula 1 Grand Prix and 1000 Miles of Sebring races. »

Philip Bodt