Famin: MSR “An Option” for Possible Alpine GTP Program
Alpine has been in contact with Meyer Shank Racing about potential IMSA GTP tie-up, says Bruno Famin…
Started posting and then realised they are not talking for 2024 but 2025, so its still a long way off, but news none the less. Mind you talks for 2025, especially in Alpine land with all their ups and downs is a lifetime away and at best a chance.
We know they are in the WEC next year so I guess that makes expansian a better chance for 2025.
Alpine has confirmed talks with Meyer Shank Racing on the possibility of running its new A424 in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship by as early as the 2025 season.
The French manufacturer, which will debut its LMDh car with a two-car Signatech-run program in the FIA World Endurance Championship next year, could look to the Ohio-based squad as form of expansion for its second year of competition.
MSR, which won last weekend’s Motul Petit Le Mans, will not return to the WeatherTech Championship next year following its split with Acura, although has indicated ambitions of rejoining the grid in 2025.
A common link between the two organizations is longtime MSR sponsor AutoNation, which has been tipped to serve as the automotive retailer for Alpine road cars in North America, a deal that could bring the French brand to the U.S. market in the coming years.
When asked about MSR, Alpine’s Vice President of Motorsports Bruno Famin confirmed to reporters at Alpine’s multi-day test at the Circuito de Jerez that the manufacturer has been in contact with the Mike Shank-led operation.
“I talked to them, yeah,” said Famin.
“Quite a long time ago, even before they separated, they decided to [go] separate ways with Acura. Of course, it could be an option, but we could have some other options.”
Famin stressed that an expansion to the WeatherTech Championship is not a first priority for Alpine as it first seeks to prepare for its entry into the WEC’s Hypercar class next year.
“For the time being, to be honest, we are not pushing much on that,” he explained.
“The key topic is to be ready for the WEC. To develop the car, to understand, to be ready as much as we can for the 2024 WEC championship.
“We will do our best to have an IMSA program, as we [will] have the homologated car already. It was part of the choice of developing an LMDh.
“If IMSA comes, it will come together with the brand in the US. It’s not for 2024, maybe for 2025, I don’t know. But there’s no need to take contact too early. We need to have more information first.”
An Alpine GTP effort would precede an entry for the French brand into the U.S. market with its line of sports cars, with the racing program serving as a marketing platform ahead of the brand launch that’s been earmarked for 2027.
This means Alpine would be seeking to join the grid before its production cars go on sale in North America.
