A110 1800 Gr. IV "1973 ALPINE RALLY"

Updated: Jul 24, 2023

FACTORY CAR "USINE"

HISTORY

1973 FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP

Quelle: Renault Revue 1973

THE BLUE RIDERS

Due especially to pressure exerted by Fiat and Alpine Renault the FIA launched a World Rally Championship for the first time in 1973. Alpine Sports Director Jacques Cheinisse gathered an exquisite circle of French rally stars to conquer the world with the Alpine Berlinettes.

A total of 13 tests had to be mastered, of which Alpine Renault only loaded 10 with their Berlinettes. Bernard Darniche, Jean-Luc Thérier and Jean Pierre Nicolas were the main protagonists at the wheel for Alpine. They were supported on home turf by Jean Francois Piot, Jean Claude Andruet and Ove Andersson. The spectacle was set to begin in January with the Monte Carlo Rally, followed by the Sweden, East African Safari, Acropolis, Austrian Alpine Rally and the RAC Rally in Great Britain, to name but a few.

A total of 17 works cars were prepared by Alpine Renault in 1973 and sent onto the track to win the first Constructors' World Rally Championship.

The car with the then French registration number 9846HL76 was one of the 17 cars with which Jean-Luc Thérier and Jean-Pierre Nicolas vied for the crown of the World Rally Championship.

In the end, Alpine Renault's efforts were crowned with success, the Alpine Armada won 6 of the 10 rallies in which they competed, and the "blue riders" took the rally crown to France.

1973 FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP

1973 POLAND RALLY

12-15 JULY 1973

XXXIII POLISH RALLY

The 1973 Poland Rally will go down in history as one of the toughest WRC rallies to date. Of 62 cars on the grid, only three were classified at the finish. The average speed on open roads between special stages was sometimes over 120 km/h. The 3912 km track with 55 special stages totaling 734 km was particularly tough as it took place shortly after the major floods in Poland and many roads were either closed or badly damaged. Both the cars and the drivers had to work wonders to stay within the time limit. Only six cars made it to the finishing line and only three of them stayed within the given time limit. Achim Warmbold won with a lead of 2 hours 47 minutes ahead of the second car.

Source: SLOWLYSIDEWAYS

Jean-Luc Theriér

Few drivers were so respected by their competitors and even fewer were universally as popular as Jean-Luc Thérier. Thérier was also one of those drivers who thrived and became famous in the lap of the great Alpine-Renault team that dominated this sport in the early seventies. At the wheel of the flat berlinette, he was always the most spectacular driver, because he loved to oversteer, hated frequent training and believed that, above all, driving should be fun.

A tightrope artist whose extraordinary foresight made improvising child's play. Thérier was just as at home on gravel as he was on snow or asphalt, the preferred terrain of French rally drivers. He proved this in 1970 when, at the age of 25, he won the San Remo and the Acropolis Rally in quick succession. Thérier was one of the stars of the team that became known as "The Three Musketeers" and won the manufacturers' world championship for Alpine-Renault in 1973. If there had been a drivers' championship back then, Thérier would have become the first world champion in rally history.

A friendly buddy, witty and charming, a gourmet and party animal, Thérier remained loyal to Renault for a long time before he spent a hapless time at Toyota at the end of the seventies. When he had restored his reputation in France and a World Cup comeback was in sight, fate once again slowed him down. As he was about to take the lead in the Paris-Dakar desert rally with a small Citroen Visa 1000 tracks, he rolled over and injured himself so badly that one arm remained completely paralyzed. That was in 1985 and he was not even 40 years old at that time. Bad luck, grief, lawyers and bailiffs followed him thereafter. He never overcame the physical and psychological consequences of the accident and died on 31 July 2019 in his hometown of Neuchâtel-en-Bray in Normandy at the age of 73.

MUDSLINGING

Jean Luc Theriér dominated the 1973 season and scored half of all Alpine victories. With gifted talent and mostly without any training, he dominated the competition with his spectacular driving style on all terrains.

Thérier was in second place behind Warmbold for a long period of time when Mahé muddled up the start for a special stage due to fatigue on the 50th special stage. However, Theriér did not let himself be distracted and gave his Berlinette the spurs on the last 6 special stages, reaching the finishing line with a lead of more than 30 minutes ahead of Warmbold. Unfortunately, only the disqualification awaited the Theriér/Mahé team.

„YOU CAN`T MAKE A SAFARI HERE, POLAND IS NOT AFRICA“

One of the 17 vehicles prepared by Alpine Renault for the 1973 World Rally Championship, bearing the registration 9846HL76 was deployed for the first time at the 7th stage of the current World Rally Championship – the Poland Rally. The A110 sparkled in director Renault light blue with all sorts of color applications on the rally tracks.

Jean Luc Thérier and Alain Mahé set off on the 9846HL76 "maiden voyage" completely unaware of taking part in one of the toughest rallies Europe had seen in a long time.

The Poland Rally was too much of a bad thing – it went down in the history of this WRC owing to its chaotic organization and its cruel rally route.

1973 FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP

1973 AUSTRIAN ALPINE RALLY

12-16 SEPTEMBER 1973

In 1973, the "Austrian Alpine Rally" was part of the World Rally Championship. The name “Alpenfahrt” suggests that the rally took place in the mountains. This is not the case. The rally was driven 26 kilometers south of Vienna near Baden. The rally included 31 special stages over a driving distance of 324.5 kilometers.

Only 2 factory Berlinetta’s were sent to the Alpine country – Theriér asked for a break because he wanted to contest the Tour de France in his own country at that time. Bernard Darniche/Alain Mahé tackled the rally in the 6996HM76 – their 1800s bore the start number 2. The 9846HL76 with start number 11 was taken over by Jan Pierre Nicolas and the owner of the vehicle Michel Vial.

©McKlein

Jean Pierre Nicolas

At the age of 23, he received a contract as a works driver with Alpine Renault. From then on, he was one of the "three musketeers" that helped Alpine Renault to victory in the 1973 World Rally Championship. After a 2nd place at the TAP Rally in Portugal, he won the legendary Tour of the Corse in 1973.

Jean-Pierre Nicolas practically grew up with the car because his father, Georges, owned a workshop and, as a rally driver, occasionally sat at the wheel of works Renaults. Jean-Pierre had barely reached the minimum age when he was already in his father's passenger seat and at the last Liège-Sofia-Liège, he drove a works car himself for the first time (Renault 8 prototype). He was 19 years old at the time. After that, he was fortunate enough to be named as an up-coming talent, along with Thérier, Andruet and others by Jacques Cheinisse, in the up-coming Alpine team. Cheinisse desperately needed drivers, preferably French, and he trusted in the virtues of youth. At the age of less than 23, Nicolas signed his first contract as a works driver with Alpine-Renault.

For a long time, the exuberant, somewhat roundish southerner was regarded as the "the savior" in the French team.

He may not have been as good a sprinter as his teammates, but at a time when perseverance was worth something in rallying, you could always count on him. He won in Portugal and Morocco, among other races.

Like Thérier, Nicolas paid a high price for his loyalty to Renault. He had to wait until 1978 to leave a lasting impression, but then managed it impressively. He won the Monte Carlo Rally, the Safari and the Ivory Coast Rally in the same year. He ended his driving career with the further development of Peugeot's great Group B car, the 205T16, to the highest competitiveness. In 1985 he took over the customer racing department at Peugeot and since then has been focusing all his ambition on returning Peugeot to rallying at the highest level.

©McKlein

QUARRELS AND PROTESTS

After the Poland Rally, the 9846HL76 underwent comprehensive technical service. It received the newly revised engine Mignotet No. MS 19, which already served in a sister car at the Monte Carlo Rally and the TAP Rally.

In addition, it was given a special air filter to supply the intake air from the interior of the vehicle to the drive unit.

A light underride guard of the Acropolis Rally was also part of the revision.

After all sorts of quarrels and protests about the blockade action of Alpine race director Jacques Cheinisse, Jean Pierre Nicolas piloted the 9846Hl76 to 5th place overall. Bernard Darniche achieved victory in his factory alpine after a breathtaking finish with a ridiculous 1.1 seconds over the previously far leading Saab of Per Eklund.

RETURN TO THE ALPS 2014

1973 FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP

1973 RAC RALLY

17-21 NOVEMBER 1973

RALLY OF GREAT BRITAIN

The main reason for the popularity of the RAC rally is,

it attracts more foreign participants than any other motorsport event in the world. The road network through the state forests, these elaborate roads whose bulges suggest they were intended for fast rally cars rather than chugging trucks loaded with wood are ideal for sport. Although exotic events like the Safari have their own appeal, both amateurs and professionals invariably put the RAC Rally at the top of their list of priorities. In the last two or three years, however, the rally has been threatened by its own popularity. The thrilling spectacle of the world's best drivers showcasing their skills on dirt roads has transformed the event from an event watched only by die-hard enthusiasts some ten years ago to one that attracts more spectators than any other sporting event.

Organizationally, the rally cannot yet compete with the Moroccan, the Austrian Alps or the Thousand Lakes, but it has hugely improved over the years.

RIEN NE VA PLUS

After the 9846HL76 was exhibited at the Paris Motor Show at the beginning of October 1973, Jacques Cheinisse sent it together with the 2462HN76 to the tranquil town of York in Great Britain to participate in the RAC Rally.

Jean Luc Theriér had everything under control with start number 3, but England did not offer Renault a favorable terrain. Mechanical weaknesses forced Alpine Renault to withdraw its set ambitions.

From Thérier's point of view, the history of the RAC is therefore quickly told. With a broken distribution drive, Thérier had to park his Berlinette and exit the race prematurely. At the end of the rally Nicolas on 2462HN76 finished 5th overall.

©McKlein

©McKlein,

SECOND LIFE IN HUNGARY

Attila Ferjáncz

Attila Ferjáncz (12 July 1946 - 23 April 2016) was a Hungarian rally driver. He won the Hungarian Rally Championship from 1976 to 1982 and 1985 and 1990.

"In Hungary, this Alpine was called 'bad frog' and it was really evil – driving this Alpine was sometimes dangerous. Unfortunately, I got this Alpine much too late to be competitive against Roser and Thérier, for example. When Roser won Munich-Vienna-Budapest with his Berlinette in 1969, we were still driving on R8 Gordini."

BEHIND THE IRON CURTAIN

Patrick Landon, responsible for the Eastern Bloc countries at Renault, sold the 9846HL76 to Hungary on 26 March 1974. There the 9846HL76s second life began. It has remained one of the very few works cars that left France at that time.

From then on, under the new owner "Team VOLAN" - a large Hungarian transport company - she carries the registration AU-7683. A permanent fixture in rallying in the Eastern Bloc, Team VOLAN was to win many more victories with her

Attila Ferjáncz in a Renault 8 Gordini became the Hungarian Rally Champion 1968 + 1969.

Compared to the rally cars common in the Eastern Bloc such as Lada, Skoda or Wartburg, this works Berlinette from France appeared to be from another planet. In April 1974, Attila Ferjáncz squeezed himself into the narrow cockpit of the former factory Alpine for the first time.

7. Rally dell'Isola d'Elba 1974

18-20 APRIL 1974

RALLY DEBUT IN ITALY

At the 1974 Elba Rally problems with the electrical system and a defective starter motor made it necessary for a service check at Berti Dino. In the end, the Ferjáncz – Zsembery team finished with a respectable 14th overall on their debut.

SISTERS IN CRIME

In the picture to the left of the AU-7683 (No. 9) the Berlinette 1800 Gr. IV driven by the Takov brothers (No.12) from Bulgaria. The only two 1800 factory Berlinettes that were delivered to the eastern bloc by ALPINE's racing department and enriched the rally scene beyond the Iron Curtain. Both vehicles found their way to Germany almost 40 years later and found their revival at alpineLAB.

FULL HOUSE

Spectator interest in rallying in the eastern bloc was overwhelming in the early 1970s, as this image impressively confirms. Many spectators wanted to catch a glimpse of the cars racing past and jostled for the best seats at the edge of the track, or in the adjacent grandstands and car parks.

METAMORPHOSIS

A dark chapter begins for the ex-factory alpine, after it was no longer competitive on the rally tracks. In the late seventies, the AU-7683 said goodbye to the rally scene and a handful of privateers were now to pilot it primarily on hill climbs. Most recently, the former 9846HL76 fell into the hands of an ex-mechanic of Team VOLAN, who massively modified the vehicle. Under the hands of various owners, the appearance changed almost annually, resulting the former 9846HL76 undergoing a true metamorphosis.

SEARCH AND RESCUE

SCRAPYARD FIND

JULY 2008

SALVATION

Although the sale of the 9846HL76 in March 1974 to Hungary was no secret among insiders, the vehicle was assumed to be missing by many people who were not in the know. It was even suspected in various publications to be in Germany. However, the vehicle remained in Hungary all these years and for many of those years led a miserable existence in the backyard of a scrap yard. A former mechanic of Team VOLAN had taken over the car, after it was no longer competitive on the rally tracks in the Eastern Bloc. The former 9846HL76 underwent a true metamorphosis under the new owner’s hands, with all sorts of technical and optical modifications. In the end, she was taken out of service, insufficiently protected against weather influences and facing a very uncertain fate. This bleak existence was to come to an end. I tracked down the vehicle in Hungary, was able to purchase it and transferred it to Germany, which means that the publications that had been incorrect in the past, were now corrected.

IDENDITÈ DE LA BELLE

Exposed once the thick layer of dirt was removed, the magic combinations of numbers come to light.

Bingo! The numbers identify this Berlinette as an original factory car.

BLOOD SWEAT AND TEARS

DISASSEMBLY

OCTOBER 2008

INCOGNITO

When I took over the 9846HL76 in Hungary, at first glance there was almost no connection to its origin nor to its history. Hopelessly modified, dressed in Hungarian national colors, only the number plates hidden under a thick layer of dirt to certify the origin and history of this Berlinette.

For years she was behind the Iron Curtain in incognito mode and hid her true face behind spoilers and under countless layers of paint. Piece by piece, however, she revealed her secret during disassembly, in which unmistakable fragments of her former factory livery came to light under her disguise.

The substance of the vehicle was significantly worse than the first impression suggested. The discoveries made during dismantling left no doubt that this Berlinette was taken to and over her limit in her rally days. In return, however, many details and characteristics of a factory Alpine came to light, revealing a little insight into the special features that the mechanics in the motorsport department of SERVICE COURSES gave to a factory alpine back then.

BODYWORK

NOVEMBER 2008

BODY LANGUAGE

The work on the body was an endless nightmare. The dirt and dust flowed into all the cracks and crevices and covered the workshop and inventory with a fine layer of dust. Patience and the ability to suffer were severely tested, but shortcuts or excuses were not an option. The declared goal was to preserve a maximum of the original substance. However, you can twist and turn it as you like, irreparable sections of the body had to be separated and replaced with new parts. Hard core rallies and poor repairs quite obviously took their toll.

The originally factory fitted flexible aircraft tank, had to give way to a more or less similar version, made of aluminum.

I decided on this hardware version rather than the software variant, which seemed to me to be too precarious in terms of durability and technical control acceptance.

When all the bodywork was completed, the drive unit and chassis were returned to their original destination, so that the vehicle could roll out of the workshop on its own four wheels.

CHASSIS

STEEL FRAME

At first glance nothing special, one would think. On closer inspection, however, many small modifications to the series chassis become apparent. Cranked tubes to make room in the front wheel arches, quick jack in the booth, welded holder for the cooling water tank, as well as here and there welded sheets to reinforce the chassis.

LACQUERING

DECEMBER 2009

PLAY OF COLORS

The Alpine Factory team came up in the 1973 world championship year with new livery for the competition vehicles. These had to be authentically restored in form, colour and design.

Of course, the corresponding colour codes were not readily available which, of course, complicated the undertaking a little. "Bleu Caddy" was the exact name of the shade of blue, but there was no colour code anywhere to get.

So only the elaborate reconstruction of the colour tone remained based on the existing color fragments by using a scanner. Based on historical photo documents, the dimensions of the various colour applications were meticulously transferred to the surfaces to be painted. A nerve wracking and time consuming affair, but the result compensates.

REASSEMBLY

JANUARY 2010

MATERIAL MIX

The body shines in the colour combination commonly known as "Tour de Corse" livery and the long awaited moment of reassembly has arrived. The tricky painting of the dashboard with crinkle varnish, known in France as "Peinture Craquelée", required several attempts to show the desired effect.

The layer thickness of the paint and its drying time have a considerable influence on the structure of the "leather look", which is why the processing of the components required the greatest possible care.

The interior bears witness to rallies through mud, over scree and gravel through the deep forests of Austria. For the most part, the interior carpets consisted of only light grey felt, but on the door sills the quilted artificial leather known from the production vehicle was used. Since every vehicle has marginal variations in shape and size, it is essential to make cardboard stencils of the interior beforehand. The helmet box made of plywood was also faithfully reproduced and finds its traditional place on the surface above the central tank.

The dashboard instruments offer a mix of materials at its best, coming from different manufacturers.

Mechanical rev counter from SMITHS, speed indicator from VEGLIA BORLETTI and JAEGER instruments for displaying oil pressure, oil temperature, water temperature and ammeter.

A HALDA Tripmaster as well as the sinfully expensive, but beautiful HEUER Rally Timer complete the almost a little overloaded overall picture.

BACK ON TRACK

MADE FOR CURVES

JULY 2011

FLAT OUT

The Alpine A110, as its name suggests, was designed for winding and twisty mountain roads. She did not like high speed tracks, her almost non existent straight line stability at high speeds, is driving beads of sweat on her driver's forehead. However, the low vehicle weight, low center of gravity and petite dimensions, led to excellent driving performance and almost unbeatable agility. Equipped with a favorable power-to-weight ratio, combined with an experienced driver, she taught fear to her much more powerful competitors, who usually only got to see the Alpine from behind only.

On winding tracks, she was able to play her trump cards - late on the brakes, early on the gas and mostly sideways through the turns, it was often impossible for her rivals to pass her. Only the lack of reliability forced them to give up too often, as the powertrain and transmission could not keep up with the increased engine power.

GET OUT AND DRIVE

10 COMMANDMENTS

NOVEMBER 2018

An Alpine A110 is not for everyone, there are a hundred reasons for and just as many against an Alpine A110.

But those who turn to it, will not be disappointed although it is necessary to cultivate certain virtues.

The ten commandments for a happy coexistence include fascination, patience, passion, forbearance, confidence, dedication, joie de vivre, tenacity and driving skills, as well as the acquisition of essential French language skills.

The example of a factory Alpine A110 presented here, has risen from a ruin and after a completed restoration, she presents herself in the original factory paintwork in the design of the Austrian Alpine Rally in 1973, with which she was able to bring the first world championship title to France.

In the future, she will be present at selected historic motorsport events and worthily represent the Alpine Renault brand in the diverse field of classic sports cars. From now on, she will be spared mud and gravel roads.

CAR IN DETAIL

ARISTOTLES WAS RIGHT

Anyone who devotes themselves to the details of a factory Alpine A110, will encounter surprising things on their journey. Window crank from a Renault Floride, windscreen wipers from a Renault Caravelle, door handles from an R8, fuel filler cap from the french helicopter Alouette, washer nozzle from a Mercedes Benz, oil filler cap from a Citroen 2CV, indicator lights from a Citroen DS and in the cockpit a mix of British, Italian and French instruments.

Lovingly distributed works of art, or randomly used pieces from a spare parts warehouse? It depends on the perspective. The whole is more than just the sum of its parts.

RACING / CONCOURS

Circuit des Remparts d’Angoulême 2014

Following the traces of Juan Manuel Fangio and Michel Vaillant

Return to Circuit des Remparts Angoulême

Angoulême is one of those towns that you do not want to miss when travelling through the Southwest of France. History, culture, landscape or way of living, the Perigord region has a lot to offer not only to the French lover. The scenery and atmosphere already made a big impression on us in 2009. We had decided to return to this beautiful place despite the pain and this quite embarrassing moment we had to experience.

If you are actively involved in your classic car hobby and look for a venue to race your precious metal like the heroes in the good old days, this is the place to be. The streets of Angoulême remind you of your youth. The city is considered as the capitol of the comic strip and hosts the annual international Comic festival. Paintings of famous comic characters on house facades are to be found everywhere around town and bring you back in time when immersing in the latest adventures of racing legend Michel Vaillant.

It was in 1939 when Angoulême presented the first motor race event to the public. On a warm summer day racing drivers in cotton racing suits with leather caps like Jean-Pierre Wilmille und Maurice Trintignant attracted a crowd of a few ten thousands to the town. Men in suits with ties and elegantly dressed women on the grand stand or behind hay bales or on the grass followed the spectacle in the historic district of Angoulême.

It was not until after 1947 that Angoulême would host another race. The world had just suffered the tragedy of the second world war when politics brought another catastrophe to mankind leaving millions dead and countries in ruins. The 1947 event featured local racing heroes Amédée Gordini und René Bonnet while the newly formed Scuderia Ferrari and Juan Manuel Fangio’s victory with Maserati filled the headlines in the years 1949 to 1951. The race in 1955 was the final one.

WALL TO WALL

Not much changed compared to 1939. The majestic cathedral has been watching the city from its elevation in the heart of the city for a few hundred years and with the ancient walls it creates an unrivaled backdrop for any event. The stone walls actually gave name to the circuit which means nothing less that racing between the walls. Time seems to have taken a break even when your eyes wander across the facades, doors and shutters, iron works. Patina where ever you look, not only with the vintage cars coming to town.

Even the grand stand next to the cathedral is at the same place like decades ago, only the people are dressed more casual and colorful. High fences keep the fans away from the streets, and guard rails are supposed to offer modern safety but spoil the historic scenery quite a bit.

CONCOURS FOR MAN AND MACHINE

We arrived early in order to get away from the daily grind and routine. We take quarters in an old Château in the outskirts of Angoulême and instantly feel very French.

The real protagonist is our ex-factory rally car, the Alpine 1800 that Alpine campaigned in the championship winning season of 1973. This fabulous Alpine is nominated for the special class featuring former Alpine race cars. It is authentic throughout and restored to the highest possible standards. We tested the car thoroughly giving us great confidence for this year’s race.

The entire event 2014 is about Alpine. Marque enthusiasts Patrick Fourestié and Jean-Luc Fournier with the support of Renault made quite an effort bringing only the best to the show. Friday night will feature almost the entire Alpine rad car portfolio, the city market place will exhibit specialties like ex-Le Mans race cars or the Formula 2 single seater, and participants will show their Berlinettes in the courtyard of the Hotel de Ville.

Friday night is Concours night: On Champs de Mars we present our Alpine 1800 to the crowd and are honored to explain the car’s details to no one less that Alpine Boss Bernard Olivier. He is very intrigued by the stunning appearance of our Berlinette and complements the hard work that went into the restoration.

When we took center stage, it was on us to reenact a special stage stop of a seventies rally event. We jumped out of the car, checked lights and tires, cleaned the windshield, and took a peek under the engine hood. Jean-Luc Thérier or Jean-Pierre Nicolas, formerly rallying this dream machine, would certainly have given us a pad on the back for our performance. At the end of our show the crowd gave us a big hand and the jury awarded us a special trophy. What a great start.

FUN BECOMES SERIOUS

In between our activities we had sufficient time to enjoy what the region has to offer. We spent an afternoon at the beach, tasted what the town of Cognac is famous for, and visited the Château Tiregand of the Saint-Exupéry family for a deep dive into the secrets of wine from the Bergerac.

With the race still ahead of us we enjoyed the distraction but did not lose focus. Preparation and the attention to detail are crucial not only when restoring a masterpiece but also when racing it.

The practice session on Sunday morning was all about deciding the grid for the afternoon race. Meanwhile we have met old friends and made new ones when getting ready in the courtyard of city hall. We felt like being part of an all A110 family of which some members seem to have raised the bar quite a bit. Inspecting the competing Berlinettes revealed that the performance level was way more advanced than a few years back. Five years ago we were able to upset our fellow drivers with a light an agile 1300 S whereas the cars presented today seem to be a different kind of breed. Most serious apparently is ex-works driver Alain Serpaggi and the dramatic yellow Alpine with its 16 valve Gordini motor. The experience and ambition of the driver paired with the out of this world performance of this one of a kind Berlinette promised High Noon. But as it relates to our comics characters, we stick with Lucky Luke when it comes to strategy: Stay calm, saddle up our Jolly Jumper for the ride in the streets and keep our head down when bullets fly by.

The circuit is a mere one and a half kilometers long, the up and down and corners make it quite challenging with all the other racers around you. Especially the hairpin around the chestnut tree is critical when heading down the street full throttle and forced to slow down the car to almost standstill before accelerating again uphill towards the cathedral.

We join Alain Serpaggi und Gérard Besson when lining up for the practice session. They are the undisputed favorites. It is unfortunate that we end up last in the queue giving us a hard time to find a gap to be released on the track. It takes some time for us to find a rhythm when suddenly the session is red flagged. Our friend and fellow Alpine enthusiast Jean-Marie Bracq crashes into the guard rails of the left hander at Carnot, at the end of the straight. On the impact his two liter-powered Alpine bursts into pieces leaving the driver unconscious and very seriously injured.

Everyone is in shock when Jean-Marie is immediately transported to the nearest hospital. Racing is dangerous, no matter what.

It is afternoon. It is race time. We are told that about 30,000 people flock the streets of Angoulême. We are ready and confident. Our Berlinette runs fantastic; the engine is smooth, responsive and has enough torque to be competitive. With a good start we should be able to gain a few positions to compensate for our mid field grid position.

We are not taking our eyes away from the person with the French banner who is supposed to start the race. But it all happens surprisingly quickly: the flag suddenly goes up and here they go … let the Alpines are let loose.

WALL TO WALL

Our start puts us up into six place, when passing two rivals. As expected Alain Serpaggi is marching on heading for a flag to flag win while we are defending our position. The adrenalin rush is intense. Soon we are able to get closer to Christian Chambord’s beautiful ex-works Alpine 1800 and eventually manage to pass him at the lowest point of the track. It is very hot day and the tarmac’s temperatures make our Michelin TB15 not a good choice. They feel too soft on the rear and we are rapidly losing grip. We struggle to keep the car in balance in tight corners. The race almost ended for us in the corner right before the finish line when slightly hitting the barrier to the left. We succeed in keeping the car on the track avoiding a heavier impact.

With our pulse through the roof in this a scary moment, we are now back in the race and chasing Michel Mondy. For several laps we attempt to pass Michel. Both our Alpines are very close in performance and setup when suddenly the limited slip differential fails and blocking rear wheels make us spin right in the Carnot corner. Thanks to a good portion of luck we do not get hit by others and continue without losing a position. However, Michel is now very distant and we decide to keep position and fellow drivers Christian Chambord und Phillipe Tollemer behind us. With the chequered flag comes relief: We are very proud to have finished fifth and very happy to bring the Alpine home in one piece. Although a better grid position could have given us the opportunity to aim for the podium, we could not be happier.

It is time to say goodbye. We look back on some remarkable days in the French countryside and our bags are packed with memories. We leave at night promising to return one day.

Adieu Angoulême and our thoughts are with Jean-Marie: All the Best and hope to see you soon!

Text & Illustrations by Jörg D. Brosowski

Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este

20-22 May 2016

BACK TO THE FUTURE - THE JOURNEY CONTINUES

Every year in May, the hautevolèe of the international automotive scene meet at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este on the shores of Lake Como.

In the "Heroes of the Special Stage" category, former rally cars were also taken into account for the first time at the rendezvous of high-quality classic automobiles.

We spared no expense and effort and ranked our Berlinette, among the most beautiful and elegant automobile classics in the world.

In the "Concept Cars" category, ALPINE caused a sensation with its extremely successful "Alpine Vision" Coupè. A meeting of both vehicles for a photo shoot was the logical consequence on the sidelines of this prestigious event.

AROSA CLASSIC CAR 2017

PISTA & PILOTI 2021

A110 1800 Gr. IV "1973 ALPINE RALLY"

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