Double top ten for Alpine in a historic GP Explorer!

For this first-ever motor race featuring some of the most famous French-speaking digital content creators, Alpine chose to support the team of Djilsi and Manon Lanza, two influencers in constant search of challenges.

After five days of instruction, both gradually found their bearings during free practice. After some adjustments on an initially cold track, Djilsi and Manon tackled the daunting challenge of qualifying. Placed in the same group in Q1, they made the most of their training to finish fifth and sixth.

However, a red flag in Q2 prevented Djilsi from improving his time while Manon Lanza validated her ticket for Q3, where she was, in turn, the victim of an interruption forcing her to settle for tenth place on the grid.

Prior to settling into their cars, Djilsi and Manon got a video message from BWT Alpine F1 Team driver Esteban Ocon in Suzuka.

At 5pm, the race started after two formation laps. When the field of 22 F4s, with Mygale chassis and Alpine engines prepared by Oreca, got the green flag, Manon and Djilsi both gained a place to run in ninth and fourteenth place. Djilsi quickly revealed his talent for overtaking and avoiding the hazards to move up the order until he got the better of Manon. The duo then managed the traffic and tyre degradation with panache. Looking for the slightest opportunity, the Alpine drivers continued their ascent after a collision between Xari and Pierre Chabrier and the incident of Prime at the restart.

Thanks to his determination, Djilsi took the chequered flag in seventh place after gaining eight positions in the race. Manon Lanza finished right behind him in eighth place after a studied and diligent effort. This double top-ten finish secured sixth place in the team classification for the A-arrowed brand.

A UNIQUE ENERGY SURROUNDS ALPINE

From the minute the circuit gates opened at 8am, Alpine was already the centre of attention, taking to the track with the A110.

Guests, including content creators Benjos and Chowh1, were invited to sit to the right of five of the brand’s drivers: Victor Martins, Manu Guigou, Raphaël Astier, Nicolas Lapierre and Matthieu Vaxiviere for some hot laps on a landmark of French motorsport.

Alpine drivers also took part in photo opportunities during the visit to the pits, while providing their precious advices with Djilsi and Manon Lanza. Stéphane De Groodt also joined them after a competition in the Alpine simulator won by Alpine Academy driver and FIA Formula 3 Champion Victor Martins!

Spectators in the village also had the opportunity to try their hand at the simulator, admire the BWT Alpine F1 Team show car and the A110 Sastruga before making their way into an Alpine boutique overflowing with fans. Just like them, the winners of the competitions launched by Alpine Racing and several collaborators of the brand had a front-row seat to live this unique experience, punctuated by a concert with Big Flo & Oli, Myd and Bianca Costa.

Off the track, the GP Explorer was one of the most talked about topics on social media throughout the day and weekend. The thrilling end to the race saw Twitch France’s record broken with over 1,044,000 viewers online, the fifth largest audience worldwide on the platform!

On the strength of its solid results on the track, in the village and on social media, Alpine is proud to have been associated with this event of unprecedented scale as part of its development and aspiration to introduce the sport to new audiences.