Alpine F1 Team Driver Esteban Ocon will demo the Alpine A110S sports car on Thursday 21 January with a series of special stage runs during this week’s 2021 Rallye Monte-Carlo. 

It is the first time that Esteban gets to grips with the A110S as an official Alpine F1 Team Driver and his first attempt taking part in a rally event. 

Esteban will pass through two stages on the opening day of the 89th Rallye Monte-Carlo as the official VIP course car, starting with a private test run to fully understand the A110S in the unique conditions of the rally. 

The rally then begins with the official departure at 13:10 on Thursday in Gap, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. Esteban will tackle SS1, a 20.58km route from Saint-Disdier to Corps and SS2 between Saint-Maurice and Saint-Bonnet 70 minutes before the official crop of World Rally Championship drivers including compatriots Sébastien Ogier, the reigning world champion, and Pierre-Louis Loubet, who trains with Esteban during the winter off-season. 

The Frenchman will have his race number, #31, emblazoned on the A110S, which will feature its traditional and iconic blue livery. 

Alpine has a five strong entry in the RGT class during this week’s Rallye Monte-Carlo with Cédric Robert, Emmanuel Guigou, Philippe Baffoun, Pierre Ragues and Raphaël Astier all piloting Alpine A110 Rally cars across the four days.

Esteban Ocon: "This is a fantastic opportunity and I certainly cannot wait to experience Rallye Monte-Carlo for the first time. It’s a legendary event, a jewel in the calendar of motorsport and I know how special being part of it will be. I’m looking forward to driving the beautiful Alpine A110S. I had my first taste of the A110 in October with three laps of the Nordschleife. It was great that day; very comfortable and agile to drive. It’s born for this kind of challenge with the tight hairpins and mountain passes. Rallying has actually always been a dream for me, so driving the A110S in Monte-Carlo is a brilliant way to begin the year."

Patrick Marinoff, Managing Director Alpine Cars: "This is our first activation bringing together Alpine Cars and the Alpine F1 Team with Esteban’s participation in the 2021 Rallye Monte-Carlo. Alpine has a very memorable history in rallying, especially here in Monte-Carlo. So, this is the perfect place for our F1 Driver to inhale some of the brand´s finest history and at the same time enjoy the agility and exhilarating driving performance of the A110 on the iconic mountain passes it was made for. Alpine is well represented at this event and we look forward, not only to Esteban’s stage runs, but also how the weekend itself unfolds for our cars."

About the Alpine A110S 

With high engine power and a focused suspension setup, A110S offers an intense sports car driving experience. The chassis is tuned for ultimate handling response and steering precision while the engine is optimised for thrilling power delivery. Unique styling elements such as black wheels and carbon flags emblems, orange brake calipers and Dinamica upholstery mirror the car’s purposeful character. Ultimate handling response, high engine power and sophisticated design: A110S is Alpine’s most intense sports car. 

• Turbo-charged power: Characterised by high power output, immediate response, thrilling delivery and an emotive soundtrack, the 1.8-litre turbocharged direct injection engine amplifies A110S’s intense sports car character. Mounted directly behind the passenger compartment and powering the rear wheels, it is tuned to continue pushing forward forcefully even at very high engine speeds. 

• Sport chassis: A110S introduces a new Sport chassis. More focused in terms of set-up, it features springs that are 50 per cent stiffer and anti-roll bars that are twice as firm, plus wider tyres with a new compound, all of which allows for high cornering grip and immediate handling response. 

• Suspension and brakes: A110S’s double wishbone suspension contributes to its high-speed stability and handling precision. Along with the lightweight aluminium body, the double wishbone suspension forms the very basis of the car’s agility. Supplied by Brembo, the high-performance brakes are powerful and durable. 

Alpine in Rallye Monte-Carlo 

Alpine was born in rallying. It stemmed from founder, Jean Rédélé’s, early racing success in Europe, most notably in the Coupe des Alpes, a legendary mountain rally based in the Alps, which tested both man and machine. By 1954, the Alpine car brand was up and running.  

The A110 burst onto the rallying scene in the 1960s with much success. In 1969, Jean Vinatier and co-driver Jean-François Jacob finished third in Rallye Monte-Carlo, and, a year later Jean-Pierre Nicolas and Claude Roure repeated the same feat. In 1971, Ove Andersson claimed Alpine’s first Monte-Carlo victory, leading an A110 1-2-3.  

The World Rally Championship (WRC) began its inaugural season in 1973, commencing with Rallye Monte-Carlo in January. The A110 was dominant with Jean-Claude Andruet and Michele Petit claiming the rally win, leading home fellow A110s Ove Andersson-Jean Todt by 26 seconds and Jean-Pierre Nicolas-Michel Vial in third to complete an Alpine podium clean sweep. With no drivers’ championship in place, Alpine claimed the 1973 manufacturers’ championship by a mammoth 74 points.

Source: Media Groupe Renault