The factory Renault Alpine and GTC’s Mirage pose for the camera prior to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1978. From left, that’s Patrick Depailler, Jean-Pierre Jabouille, Jean Ragnotti, Gerard Larrousse, Michel Leclere, and Jean-Pierre Jarier.
Photo: Renault Communications
“Once upon a time”— is the way most children’s fairytales start, but this is no French fairytale. Although it is not unlike Jean Rédélé’s (the father of Alpine) dream of winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans outright. Just as with that story, this dream may yet become reality. The fastest Renault-Gordini on earth?
It all started back in 1972 in discussions with Renault management for a new engine. As the project took shape it became the V-6 2-liter that would go into the new Alpine A440 sports prototype that eventually won the European 2-liter Sports Car Manufacturers Championship and gave Alain Serpaggi of Alpine the driver’s title. What came next was the development of the Renault turbocharged engine. Bernard Dudot began that work in 1974 after a trip to the United States the previous October to study the use and benefits of the power boosting offered by turbocharging.
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