Alpine A450 Scores Its First Podium in ELMS at Imola

The Alpine A450Alpine A450France, 2013 > 20134 photos
has finally scored a podium in the second round of the European Le Mans Series at the 3 Hours of Imola on Saturday, May 18. The car finished in second place with Nelson Panciatici and Pierre Ragues behind the wheel.

The car qualified in fourth place, but good pit strategy put it in third place by the halfway mark. After the drive change, Panciatici made it to second and scored the car a podium. 

“We were fast throughout the race. Despite the traffic, we managed to stay at the front of the field and I kept up a strong pace all the way to the flag. It’s a great result for the team, but I can’t help feeling we had the potential to win," said Panciatici.

The next race on the calendar will be the 24 Hours of Le Mans on June 22 and 23 where Panciatici, Ragues, Tristan Gommendy and Paul-Loup Chatin as the team’s reserve driver will drive it. It will be the first time an AlpineAlpineFrance, 1955 > 199414 models
219 photos
-branded car will be in the race since the 70s.

The A450 finished fourth overall in the first race at Silverstone out of nine cars in its class. It currently sits in second place in the ELMS championship with 30 points, 10 points behind the Thiriet by TDS Racing team.