Groupe Renault displayed four historic endurance racing prototypes (above, photo courtesy of Renault) at this year’s Retromobile Show in Paris, February 7-11, in celebration of the 40th anniversary of Alpine’s overall win in the 1978 24 Hours of Le Mans. Not only was the winning prototype, Renault Alpine A442B, on display, but so were its siblings, two other A442s and an A443.
The Renault Alpine effort at Le Mans that year was managed by Gerard Larrousse, and was comprised of three different versions of the car, a pair of A442 models, an A442B and an A443, with the winning A442B being driven by Jean-Pierre Jaussaud and Didier Pironi. One of the A442s finished 4th overall, driven by Guy Frequelin, Jean Ragnotti, Jose Dolhem and Jean-Pierre Jabouille, while the A443 of Jabouille and Patrick Depailler retired while leading at three-quarter’s distance to be classified 26th, and the second A442 of Derek Bell and Jean-Pierre Jarier was classified 36th, having retired at about half distance.
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