Sports prototype racing is about endurance, for the drivers, for the teams and for the companies involved. In this first volume of Alpine and Renault – The Sports Prototypes we see the effort, the blood, the sweat and the tears, reputations won and lost, life and also death. The cars, some of the most evocative ever seen, are described in detail – stunningly beautiful, creative, slippery aerodynamic designs that allowed Alpine to take many class wins and a few outright victories in championship racing. It tells of a long struggle with a lacklustre V8 engine, the pressures on the team and politics between Renault, Alpine, and Gordini and final cruel instructions to cease racing.
Sports prototype racing is about endurance, for the drivers, for the teams and for the companies involved. In this first volume of Alpine and Renault – The Sports Prototypes we see the effort, the blood, the sweat and the tears, reputations won and lost, life and also death. Alpine had a passion and dedication for racing over a long period with stunningly beautiful, creative, slippery aerodynamic designs that allowed it to take many class wins and a few outright victories in championship racing, and ultimately, under Renault ownership and a new V6 turbo engine, outright victory at Le Mans (see volume 2). Here you will feel the passion and dedication for racing from interviews with the men involved over the many long hard years, countless innovations, the coming of radial and slick tyres, and successes and failures, all illustrated with dramatic period photographs.
The first time the story of the Alpine Sports Prototypes has ever been told in its entirety
The first time any work on the Alpine Sports Prototypes has ever been published in English
300 colour and b&w photographs, many never seen before
In-depth comments from the chief test driver, Mauro Bianchi
In-depth interview from the designer of each of the cars
The story of how a small racing team with a dream made racing history
Tells of the life and death risks of racing at the Le Mans 24 hours in the 1960s
Contains details of race and driver performances in every race the team entered from 1963 to 1969
Tells of the introduction of the Radial Racing tyre and the first ‘Slick’ racing tyres
Describes the life and times and the politics of being supported by the motoring giant that was Renault
