24 Hours of Le Mans class winner Nicolas Lapierre will take up a brand new management position with the Alpine World Endurance Championship team following his retirement from racing.
After announcing his decision to hold up his helmet earlier this week, Lapierre will take up the newly created position of sports director on the Alpine Endurance Team to help team principal Philippe Sinault.
Although his latest job will formally start on January 1, 2025, the Frenchman will take up the position on the Bahrain 8 Hours final in November to familiarize himself with the role.
The 40-year-old brought down the curtain on his racing profession after last month's Fuji round to give attention to “the other side of the pitwall”, a job that has brought him more joy than he expected since he founded CLX Motorsport – operating under the Cool Racing banner – in 2020.
“Alpine has always shown great confidence in me, especially in giving me the opportunity to develop the A424 and then start my first season behind the wheel,” he said.
“After expressing my desire to finish my profession as knowledgeable driver, I’m pleased to verify that I’ll proceed my adventure with the team, but this time on the opposite side of the pitwall.
“I’ll attempt to pass on all my experience to our drivers and be a link with our technical teams. Endurance racing is on the precise track and I consider within the Alpine project. We must proceed our relentless efforts to achieve the subsequent levels together.”
#36 Alpine Endurance Team Alpine A424: Nicolas Lapierre, Mick Schumacher, Matthieu Vaxiviere
Photo: JEP / Motorsport Images
Lapierre raced alongside Mick Schumacher and Matthieu Vaxiviere within the No. 36 Alpine A424 LMDh in 2024, scoring his first podium on this system in Japan in September.
With Lapierre withdrawing from racing with one round remaining, his place in Alpine's two-car team in Bahrain will likely be taken by reserve driver Jules Gounon, although Alpine has not explicitly confirmed that he will likely be driving the number 36 A424.
Gounon was now ready to participate within the eight-hour race on the Bahrain International Circuit instead of Charles Milesi, as planned internally before the beginning of the season. But now it looks like Milesi will spend the season within the #35 Alpine.
Of the choice to advertise Lapierre to a management position, Sinault said: “We have been discussing this prospect for several months.
“In addition to our shared desires, it is a logical and natural continuation of the successful cooperation now we have shared over the previous few years, especially within the Alpine colours.
“We grew up together, won many races and several titles! We know each other exceptionally well and there is mutual trust. I want to thank Nicolas for welcoming me and I look forward to him contributing to the development of the team in his new role.”
Lapierre played a key role in the event of the Challenger Alpine A424, bringing with him over 15 years of experience in prototyping machines.
“From the very starting of the A424 program, Nicolas was one in every of the important thing actors. He was the primary to drive the automotive and contributed significantly to its development,” said Bruno Famin, head of motorsport at Alpine.
“He is a component of the Alpine family. In addition to his proven qualities as a driver and person, he has gained extensive experience outside the automotive in recent times.
“Together with Philippe, it was clear to us that Nicolas could naturally bring quite a bit to the team through his role as sporting director and we’re truly delighted that Nicolas
adopted.”
It is unclear whether Lapierre will remain team principal at Cool Racing, the team he founded with Alexandre Coigny. When asked by Motorsport.com, an Alpine spokesman declined to comment.
