Alpine ended the season in the World Endurance Championship in a strong position on the track after a difficult start.
The French manufacturer endured a tough opening few rounds as their A424 car was very raw and lacked the ultimate speed of Toyota and Porsche.
Alpine scored points with one car at the season opener at the Lusail International Circuit in Qatar, but the No.36 entry was outside the top 10.
The difficult run of form continued in the opening races with three consecutive point-less finishes before a double retirement at Le Mans.
Nicolas Lapierre would like to see Alpine take the next step over the winter and into 2025 but told sportscar365 that one thing in particular will be a challenge.
Nicolas Lapierre warns that making the next step to fight at the front won’t be ‘easy’
Alpine did improve over the season and recovered after a very difficult week at Le Mans, which ended in a double retirement.
The No. 36 car scored points in each of the final four rounds, which was a big improvement compared to the first half of the season.
Mick Schumacher developed in confidence, and Lapierre was pleased with Alpine taking fourth in the Teams’ Championship.
Lapierre explained that battling at the front of the field against Porsche and Ferrari would be difficult despite their upturn in form.
He said: “We have seen the package we have is quite good; we have been quite competitive since Le Mans, and we want to make sure we have everything in order to make the next step, which will not be an easy one.
“Fighting against Porsche, Ferrari, and Toyota will require a big step forward, but that’s what we are planning to do this winter, and my new role is also part of this change.”
Alpine have multiple aspects to work on to challenge at the front next season
Alpine scored a podium finish at the 6 Hours of Fuji at Fuji Speedway, which boosted the French manufacturer.
The third place for the No. 36 car was a good reward for the team’s hard work, although many front-running cars failed to see the chequered flag.
Alpine’s lack of pace will need to be improved across all eight circuits as they develop the A424 and gather experience in Hypercar.
Unreliability was also a question mark in the opening stages of the season. There were fewer mechanical issues towards the end, but they need to be eliminated next year.