Alpine team principal Philippe Sinault says he is expecting a decision on his team’s future “each day now” as talks continue at pace with Geely over a takeover of its Hypercar programme.
After the Renault Group announced its decision to pull out of the World Endurance Championship at the end of 2026, its factory partner Signatech has been holding talks to enter the A424 LMDh under a different brand name.
While speculation has linked Signatech with a variety of manufacturers, most notably BYD, fellow Chinese automotive behemoth Geely has emerged as the prime contender for the acquisition in recent weeks.
Veteran team manager Sinault suggested that negotiations with the prospective manufacturer are progressing well, without directly naming Geely, as he aims to complete the deal well before the registration closes for the 2027 season.
Asked how close the team was to a decision on next year, the Frenchman told Motorsport.com: “I expect each day now because time is running [out]. But we are still on time to react and to do well for the future. So, we are waiting for it.
“We will make the announcement as soon as we have a clear decision.”
Pressed further as to whether he had a deadline in mind, he said: “The limit of registration is 26 November. But as you can imagine, [we want it finalised] as soon as possible.
“We are not in an emergency at the moment. Everything is still under control for the future. So, we will see. If we decide on 25 November, it will be really tricky. But everybody in the loop is aware of the timing and we now have to decide as soon as possible for the future.”
Much of the discussions centre on Geely and Renault, which own the IP rights to the car, rather than the Signatech operation founded by Sinault.
“My job is to be ready,” he said. “After the Renault negotiations, it’s another story. But my job is to be ready if the green light happens, and we will be ready, be sure.”
#36 Alpine Endurance Team Alpine A424: Jules Gounon, Victor Martins
Photo by: JEP
The A424 carries certain design cues from Alpine’s road car range, most notably its distinctive tail lamps that incorporate the company’s logo.
Sinault said it would be relatively straightforward for Signatech to alter the styling of its LMDh prototype to meet a prospective manufacturer’s requirements.
“Yes, but it’s easy to handle. The main subject is not this. The main subject is to have a clear view for the future,” he said.
Alpine hasn’t conducted any private tests since May, with Signatech having turned focus to securing the future of the team after the Le Mans 24 Hours.
While the aforementioned styling changes are expected for 2027, the uncertainty over the team’s plans for next season meant a larger evo update was never going to be possible.
Asked about the lack of testing this year, Sinault said: “Yes, but we continue. As you have seen on the track, we continue to push hard. So, we are on the way to prepare for the future and 2027 at the same time.”
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