In the Sport-Protos in 1966, there was a tendency to increase the power of the engines. It started with Ford and was later imitated by Ferrari and Chapparal. Other constructors had the choice : or go with this way or just quit the endurance racing.
That was the question for Alpine and Amédée Gordini. The latter started to talk about a 3000cc V8 engine. The Regie Renault, owner of Gordini enterprise, was not motivated. And the bureaucracy of such a large national enterprise also has to be taken into account. But Gordini eventually got green light and started constructing his V8 type T62 engine in February 1967. Five months later, he presented it to the media.
The new engine did not find grace among the most passionate people. The engine did not look like a racing engine; it was supposed to be also used in a road car of Renault or an Alpine GT. The engine was based on an old concept dating from 1950. The engine produced about 270 bhp ( a first produced Cosworth engine gave 400 bhp). But Alpine, active in the single-seaters and rally, went with passion into this adventure. The team consisted of Richard Bouleau and André de Cortanze for the chassis, Marcel Hubert for the aerodynamics, Mauro Bianchi for the testing. At that time, Jean-Luc Lagardére announced big intentions for Matra, so Jean Rédélé did the same for Alpine. It was immediately war between those two, because Matra got 6.000.000 francs from the government.
With the compact engine ready, Alpine started the construction of a new car based on the small Alpine A210. Amédée Gordini made a small maquette and new recruited de Cortanze got the job to modify the chassis and make the car fast. It took until October for the first testing laps of the first version, called A2111, chassis 1727. These tests took place at the Saint-Valery-en-Caux airfield and on the Michelin test circuit in Ladoux. Not sure of how many revs to use, Mauro Bianchi did blow up four engines before they reached the decision to go to maximum 7000 rpm. In fact, nothing worked. Not enough power, too much weight (800 kg), and an unstable car on the road.
Directly after these test, the A 211 was unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in the presence of the Head of State General Charles de Gaulle. He ordered his minister Pompidou to finance this Alpine project with 300.000 Frs, “pour la France”.
Race debut for the Alpine with number 15 for more serious business: October 15th 1967 in the 1,000 km of Paris at Monthléry (photo 1,2,3). In the first qualifications, Mauro Bianchi was tenth (2’59”7) some 10 seconds behind the best placed Ferrari P3/P4 of Piper-Siffert. He could not improve in the second quali because of gearchange problems. Jacky Ickx got the pole-position with his Mirage-Ford in 2’47”5.
The Alpine was P11 on the grid. Just a few minutes before the start, big panic in the Alpine team. The starter does not work; a mechanic had to change it on the grid! Thinking the job is done, when they lower the car from the jacks, the mechanic is still under the car and screamed because of the pain. Again extra panic. But all came good, but Bianchi had a slow start and was P15 after the first lap. After four laps, he came into the pits to check his tyres and check again the gearbox. It was a difficult race, but Bianchi-Grandsire finished in a promising 7th position and were the first classified French car.
Alpine 220A in 1968- the first real 3 litres
In the definitive ending in the increasing engine power, the CSI created two different categories in the Sport-Prototypes: the “Protos” limited to 3 litres cylinder capacity and the “Sports”, limited to 5 litres. This made Ford, Chaparral and even Ferrari furious, but at Alpine they started dreaming of winning races. In the beginning of the year, the testing with the A211#1772, baptised by the mechanics as “grand mère” went on. Improving and understanding the car was the purpose.
First challenge after the winter time, the 12 hours Sebring 1968 with Bianchi/Grandsire (#42). They qualified the car in P12 with a 3’00”4 (pole for Siffert and Porsche 907 in 2’49”4). The beginning of the race was sublime; Bianchi was fifth at the first pitstops. Unfortunately, the V8 overheated and the head gasket failed when Grandsire had to take the wheel. The race ended after 39 laps.
In the meantime, at Dieppe, Richard Bouleau and Marcel Hubert finished the construction of the new car, the A220, chassis1730. The car was wider (more than 170 cm), longer, lower (99 cm to 105cm). It looked like a real prototype. The radiators are placed in the sides and the front of the car is more plunging and more bulbous. The engine is a dream for Gordini: 300 bhp. Testing began immediately. Again big problems. At the speed of 250km/h, the car has the tendency to lift the front end and the front wheels loose every grip. Impossible to go on. The aerodynamic department installed a kind of ‘comb’ at the end of the rear bonnet which will slow the windflow down and especially press on the rear axle.
The car #1730 entered the ‘essais préliminaires’for Le Mans in April 7th. (Bad day for the motorsport, Jim Clark had a fatal accident at Hochenheim). As usual, the car is ready in the last hours, The was a definitive lack of confidence as the rear hood got loose at Maison Blanche. In the first hours, they managed 5’04”6, way off the Ford GT40 of Ickx with 3’35”4 on pole-position. Every driver got to do a number of laps and gradually all get below the 4 minutes. But, the car remained aerodynamically instable, sometimes dangerous to drive.
A bigger test was done at the 1000 km Monza, end of April. First qualification, first scary moment for Bianchi. He lost the car at 300 km/h without any reason. Later it was obvious that the suspension was too soft, the rear of the chassis hit the ground and caused a whole in the fuel tank. The team put on a new rear bodywork, but that rendered the car even more dangerous. So another piece was needed. But still Mauro Bianchi (#1730) managed P08 on the grid and Depailler/de Cortanza (#1727) were P09. The race was a long test and the honours were saved by the old A211 with a third place.
Next race was the Nürburgring 1000 km. During the first qualifications, Bianchi noted that the car had the tendency to lift at the front at the top of the bumps following the long straight. He warned Henri Grandsire. But he ignored this and went on a flat out lap. At the bumps, he lost the car completely and destroyed chassis #173. Depailler/Larousse ended the race in P09.
So there was only one car left, again the “grand mère” A211 for the 1000 km Spa: P13, with 14 laps behind the winners. And in August, chassis A220 #1731 was taken to Zeltweg. Bianchi, teamed with de Cortanza, started from the frontline ( P 04 in practice, but four cars formed the first line). In the race he had to let the Porsches go and had to retire because of a failing starter at the pitstsop.
In the meantime, in the factory, everybody was working hard in order to get four new chassis ready for Le Mans. They got a little luck. The race was postponed until September, so three months extra time.
Le Mans 1968
An impressive army of 9 alpine cars were entered for the 24 hours race in September. This was the first race with the new Ford Chicane.
- no 27 A220 #1732 (Ecurie Savin Calberson) for M.Bianchi – P.Depailler
- no 28 A220 #1733 (Alpine) for H.Grandsire – G.Larousse ( red colour)
- no 29 A220 #1731 (Alpine) for Guichet – JP Jabouille (green colour)
- no 30 A220 #1733 (Alpine) for Vinatier -De Costanza (orange colour)
- no 57 A210 #1723 (Ecurie Savin-Calberson) for A. Le Guellec – A. Serpaggi
- no 52 A210 #1721 (Alpine) for JL Therier – B. Tramont
- no 53 A210 #1724 (Trophée Le Mans) for B. Wollek- Ch. Ethiun
- no 55 A210 #1725 (Alpine) for JC. Andruet – JP Nicolas
- no 56 A210 # 1726 (Alpine) for JL Marnat- JF Gerbault
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It would be a difficult race for the cars. At a pitstop early Sunday morning, Mauro Bianchi got enervated by a long pitstop to change te starter. He went off, determined to make up for lost time. But, he forgot that he had new brake pads. He lost the car at Tertre Rouge, hit the rail and the car exploded. The fireball obstructed the whole circuit. Mauro got out with severe burns on his face and hands. Henri Gransire lost the 28 at the Mulsanne bump on the Hunaudiere straight; car destroyed after 59 laps. The 29 was forced to retire with electrical problems after 185 laps The only surviving A220, the 30, completed the race in P08, some 34 laps behind the winning the Ford GT40 of Rodriguez – Lucien Bianchi.
The older A210 were classified P09 ( no 57), P10 (no 52) and P11 (no 53).
The two not damaged chassis were entered in the 1000 km Paris. There Grandsire- Guichet (#1731) crossed the line in fourth position and Depailler-Larousse (#1734) in sixth position.
ALPINE A220 in 1969
Jean Rédélé confirmed at the beginning of 1969 that the objectives were to forget the Le Mans problems of last year and come back stronger and better. Any idea was welcome. But as always at Alpine, there were different views from which the boss cannot decide what to choose.
Amédée Gordini moved to Viry-Chatillon and tried to upgrade his V8. The Alpine cars present at the preliminaries of Le Mans in April still had the 1968 engines. The truck unloaded different cars : a A220 #1731 (no 28), a A220B #1733 (no 29) with a new front hood, but still with the radiators in the side, a new A221 #1734 (no 30). This car was a modified 1968 car with new and wider fixation points for the suspension, a wider track and the shock absorbers were from Cardon and not Koni. A new bodywork with a mower nose and no more holes in the side for the radiators. This car looked far more compact. Because the 24 hours reglementation requires to have a spare tyre, the oil – and water radiators were placed in the back to help the balance of the car and to help the air flow.
The best times were done by this A221. After a 3’41”0 by Mauro Bianchi ( he was back again!), de Costanza did 3’40”8. This placed him in second position behind the Porsche 917 of Rolf Stommelen with 3’30”7 ( 5 L engine and not a 3L Alpine engine). But the other 3 L engine cars were also better: 3’33”9 for the Matra of Johnny Servoz-Gavin and 3’37”8 for the sublime Ferrari 312P with Chris Amon. Remember that in this session. Lucien Bianchi had a fatal accident on the Hunaudieres with his Alfa 33/3.
More test session were needed. Three cars were entered for the 1000km Monza, 25th April 1969. Again major catastrophe! The #1731 lost a wheel in the first practice session and was unable to start because of an overheated engine. The A220 B (#1733) with mobile flaps at the rear was for Depailler and Jabouille. They had a strong race, climbing up to 4th before punted out by the big Lola T70 of Frank Gardner. In the accident, the cassis was destroyed. Still, they were classified on P05. The new A221 had numerous technical problems, but a gearbox and an overheating engine ended their race.
Fourteen days later, the Alpine team showed up at the 1000km Spa with a new chassis : A221 #1736. The other cars were the A220 #1731 and the A221 #1734 used in the Le Mans preliminaries. During the race, the Alpine cars stopped regulary at their pits. The Gordini engines did not like all the vibrations and started losing oil. One car had to stop on lap 4, Vinatier-de Costanze were P17 with 14 laps behind the winners and David Van Lennep- Andruet were P21 with 17 laps behind.
Disaster at Le Mans.
Again eight cars were entered in the 1969 24h Le Mans. The new V8 Gordini was not ready, so all cars had the first version in the back. So there were four A220 and four old A210. The new chassis #1737 for de Cortanza and Vinatier (no 28, yellow stripes), does a 3’44”9 on Thursday practice. Compare this to 3’29”9 for the 3L Porsche 907 of Jo Siffert. They did a little better on Friday and started from P18. The A220 chassis 1736 (no 29 green stripes) is for Depailler and Jabouille. In practice there were oil-pressure problems and they did 3’45”6 on Thursday and 3’50”6 on Friday, starting P20. The last A220 is for Grandsire-Andruet (chassis #1734, No 30 orange); they did 3’47”2 on Friday, good for P21. The good old A220 (#1731, no 31) was driven by rally men Therier-Nicolas. With a 3’45”0, they started from P21.
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The start of the race is spectacular because Jacky Ickx walked in protest instead of running to his Ford GT40 and took the time to put on his safety belts. Twenty four hours later, he won the race ! But in the first lap, John Woolfe and his 917 had a crash which destroyed the car and took the life of his driver. Probably, the seat belts were not fastened ! But, the car went into flames and Jabouille could barely avoid them. He had to stop, lift the back bonnet and let the marshals spray the flames on the car. He had to come slowly into the pits. After two hours racing : de Cortanza P9, Therier P10, Grandsire P18 and Depailler P30. The expected overheating of the engines forces the no 30 to stop the race after 4 hours. In the fifth hour of the race, the 28 lost a rear left wheel. The car stopped at Indianapolis. De Cortanza tried to get going on three wheels, but that didf not work. With a little illegal help from a marshall, he could slowly getting back to the pits. Now it was the turn of the 29 car to hit trouble. Oil was starting to leak so depailler regularly came into the pits for a refill and went on. In the 10 hour of the race, the 28 was seen at P14. They also got an oil leak, forcing the car into retirement at Mulsanne. Same for Nicolas and Therier, out with a broken engine. Depailler and Jabouille tried their maximum but around 6.00 am, they had to stop.
From the A210 cars, only the official Alpine team chassis 1723, driven by Alain Serpaggi and Christian Ethuin reached the finish line in P12.
The end
Gordini got finally the change to present his new engine with direct injection to Renault. At the age of 70 years, he was willing to lance again an attack. But with what purpose. The Porsche 917 has already shown that the 3L engine cars were nowhere in the race. A new chassis was presented (A222 #1738) with a new suspension configuration, already tried on the Alpine F1 350. Absolute veto from Renault. The new engine was installed in the #1737, but did no produced more horsepower. So Alpine started to realize that the prototype input is over. The old A220#1731 ran in two hillclimb races with Vinatier and reached two times the podium.
Renault got the majority of the shares of Alpine and the endurance adventure came to an end! But in 1975, an A441C with Marie-Claude Beaumont and Lella Lombardi driving, was a new beginning.
