Le Mans 24 Hours class winner Nicolas Lapierre will take a new management role at Alpine’s World Endurance Championship team following his retirement from racing.
Having announced his decision to hang up his helmet earlier this week, Lapierre will move into a newly-created role of sporting director at the Alpine Endurance Team to assist team principal Philippe Sinault.
Although his new job will formally begin on 1 January 2025, the Frenchman will take up the position in November’s Bahrain 8 Hours finale in order to familiarise himself with the role.
The 40-year-old pulled the curtain down on his racing career after last month’s Fuji round to focus "on the other side of the pitwall", a role that brought him more joy than he anticipated since he started CLX Motorsport - which operates under the Cool Racing banner - in 2020.
"Alpine has always shown a tremendous amount of confidence in me, not least by giving me the chance to develop the A424 and then start this first season behind the wheel,” he said.
"After expressing the wish to end my career as a professional driver, I am delighted to confirm that I am continuing the adventure with the team, but this time on the other side of the pitwall.
"I'll try to bring all my experience to our drivers and be the link with our technical teams. Endurance racing is on a great trajectory, and I believe in the Alpine project. We must continue our relentless efforts to reach the next levels together."
Lapierre has been racing alongside Mick Schumacher and Matthieu Vaxiviere in the #36 Alpine A424 LMDh in 2024, scoring the programme’s maiden podium finish in Japan in September.
With Lapierre stepping down from racing with a round still to run, his place in the two-car Alpine team in Bahrain will be taken over by reserve driver Jules Gounon, although Alpine didn’t explicitly confirm that he will be driving the #36 A424.
Gounon was already down to compete in the eight-hour race at the Bahrain International Circuit in place of Charles Milesi as part of a plan agreed internally before the start of the season. But it now appears that Milesi will see out the season in the #35 Alpine.
On the decision to promote Lapierre to a management role, Sinault said: "We have been discussing this prospect together for several months now.
"Apart from our mutual desire, it represents a logical and natural continuation of the prosperous collaboration we have shared over the last few years, particularly under the Alpine colours.
"We've grown up together and won many races and several titles! We know each other exceptionally well, and there is mutual trust. I want to thank Nicolas for accepting, and I'm looking forward to seeing him contribute to the team's development in his new role."
Lapierre played a pivotal role in the development of the Alpine A424 challenger, having brought with him more than 15 years of experience in prototype machinery.
"Right from the outset of the A424 programme, Nicolas has been one of the key actors. He was the first to drive the car and contributed significantly to its development," said Alpine motorsport chief Bruno Famin.
"He is part of the Alpine family. In addition to his proven qualities as a driver and human being, he has gained a wealth of experience outside the car in recent years.
"Together with Philippe, it was clear to us that Nicolas could naturally bring a great deal to the team through his sporting director role, and we are genuinely delighted that Nicolas has
accepted."
It remains unclear whether Lapierre will stay as team principal at Cool Racing, an outfit that he founded together with Alexandre Coigny. When asked by Autosport, an Alpine spokesperson declined to comment.
