after its strong recent performance in the USA
•Round six of the eight-round 2015 FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) will see the N°36 Alpine A450b tackle the 6 Hours of Fuji in the hands of Nelson Panciatici, Paul-Loup Chatin and Vincent Capillaire.• Alpine has a big fan base and many collectors of its cars in Japan. After races in Europe and the USA, Signatech-Alpine and the Alpine A450b continue their maiden FIA WEC campaign with a mini-tour of Asia (Japan, China and Bahrain) to conclude the 2015 championship.
The next appearance of Nelson Panciatici, Paul-Loup Chatin and Vincent Capillaire will be at the foot of Japan’s sacred Mont Fuji volcano which is situated less than 100km from central Tokyo.Some members of the team are already familiar with Fuji Speedway, but this will be the Alpine A450b’s first attempt at the Japanese venue. It isn’t entirely unknown territory for the make, however. In 1978, an Alpine A441 shared by Masahiro Hasemi and Kazuyoshi Hoshino won the 500km of Fuji.
The 6 Hours of Fuji has attracted an entry of 31 cars, including eight in the LM P2 prototype class. Signatech-Alpine will be the field’s only all-French line-up.
Philippe Sinault (Team Principal Signatech-Alpine): “Japan fits perfectly with the FIA WEC and there has always been a big Alpine following in the country. We have the means to finish on the podium. We just need to apply the lessons we have learned and make sure everything meshes together. The level is so high that the slightest grain of sand in the works can knock you back. The team has all the data from the circuit, so that’s something else that has helped us to prepare for the weekend at Fuji.”
Nelson Panciatici: “We have been making good progress since the start of the season. We were competitive at Le Mans, at the Nürburgring and, more recently, in the States. Our aim in Japan is to build on the first class work put in by the mechanics and engineers in order to finish inside the top three. The last, technical section of the track should suit us and a good result is possible if we succeed in combining the necessary consistency and performance.”
Paul-Loup Chatin: “We have high hopes for Japan. The team has showed that it is capable of fighting for the podium. We have all worked hard and know what we are capable of achieving. I have been practicing on the Ellip6 simulator and there doesn’t appear to be much rear tyre wear. I think that will be one of the keys to a top finish. We really weren’t too wide of the mark at Austin.”Vincent Capillaire: “There’s a good rhythm to the calendar now. We know our strengths and we know what we need to deliver to come away from Japan with a strong result. We just need to convert our progress into a podium finish. The level is very high but we’ve made good progress since the start of the season. The circuit has a great backdrop and the track itself is certainly interesting. We just need to go out there and get the job done…”
Timetable (UTC+9)11:15am, Friday, October 9: Free Practice 1 (90 minutes)3:30pm, Friday, October 9: Free Practice 2 (90 minutes)9:50am, Saturday, October 10: Free Practice 3 (60 minutes)2:10pm, Saturday, October 10: LMP Qualifying (20 minutes)11:00am, Sunday, October 11: Race
