View source for Renault Alpine A442

{{short description|Former French racing car prototype}}
{{Racing car |
|  Car_name = Renault Alpine A442/A443 |
|  Image = [[File:Renault Alpine V6.jpg|250px]]<br />{{smaller|The Renault Alpine A442B, wearing the bubble canopy.}}|
|  Category = [[Group 6 (racing)|Group 6]] [[sports prototype]] |
|  Constructor = [[Alpine (car)|Alpine]]/[[Renault]] |
|  Designer = [[François Castaing]]<br>[[Bernard Dudot]]|
|  Team = [[Renault Sport]] |
|  Drivers = {{flagicon|France}} [[Gérard Larrousse]]<br>{{flagicon|France}} [[Jean-Pierre Jabouille]]<br>{{flagicon|France}} [[Henri Pescarolo]]<br>{{flagicon|South Africa|1928}} [[Jody Scheckter]]<br>{{flagicon|France}} [[Didier Pironi]]<br>{{flagicon|France}} [[Jean-Pierre Jaussaud]]<br>{{flagicon|France}} [[Patrick Tambay]]<br>{{flagicon|France}} [[Jacques Laffite]]<br>{{flagicon|France}} [[Jean-Pierre Jarier]]<br>{{flagicon|UK}} [[Derek Bell (auto racer)|Derek Bell]]<br>{{flagicon|France}} [[René Arnoux]] |
|  Chassis = [[Aluminium]]-reinforced [[steel]] [[spaceframe]] |
|  Front suspension = [[Double wishbone suspension|Double wishbone]] |
|  Rear suspension = [[Double wishbone suspension|Double wishbone]] |
|  Engine name = [[Renault]]-[[Gordini]]|
|  Capacity = 1997 cc |
|  Configuration = 90° [[V6]] |
|  Turbo/NA = [[Turbocharger|turbo]], |
|  Engine position = [[mid-engine|mid-mounted]] |
|  Gearbox name = [[Hewland]] TL200 |
|  Gears = 5-speed |
|  Type = [[manual gearbox|manual]] |
|  Differential = |
|  Fuel = [[Elf Aquitaine|Elf]] |
|  Tyres = [[Michelin]] |
|  Debut = [[1975 Mugello 1000 km]] |
|  Races = |
|  Wins = 2 |
|  Cons_champ = |
|  Drivers_champ = |
|  Poles = |
|  Fastest_laps = 1 |
|  Predecessor = [[Alpine A441]]
|  Successor = [[Alpine A424]]
}}
The '''Renault Alpine A442''' (also known as the Alpine Renault A442 <ref>[https://www.racingsportscars.com/covers/_Nurburgring-1976-04-04e.jpg Program, Nurburgring, 4 April 1976, www.racingsportscars.com] Retrieved 16 March 2021</ref>) is a [[sports prototype]] [[racing car]], designed and built by [[Alpine (car)|Alpine]], but funded and powered by Alpine's owners [[Renault]], specifically to contest the [[24 Hours of Le Mans]] race. Variants were entered for the event in [[1976 24 Hours of Le Mans|1976]], [[1977 24 Hours of Le Mans|1977]] and [[1978 24 Hours of Le Mans|1978]]. An A442B finally won the race on the third occasion, in the hands of [[Didier Pironi]] and [[Jean-Pierre Jaussaud]]. Also entered in 1978 was the updated Renault Alpine A443 model; essentially an A442 chassis, but powered by a new 2138 cc engine. Following this all-French victory in the premier French motorsport event, Renault withdrew from sports car racing to concentrate their efforts in [[Formula One]].

== Design ==

Alpine had been working with increasingly close ties to Renault since 1971, and by the beginning of the A442 project in 1975 the two companies were almost completely merged. Renault finally bought Alpine outright in early 1976, Renault inheriting Alpine's sports prototype program. The A442 was a direct evolution of the successful [[Alpine A440]] and title-winning [[Alpine A441|A441]] models. However, unlike the previous cars, the A442's 2.0L Renault-[[Gordini]] powerplant boasted a large [[Garrett AiResearch|Garrett]] [[turbocharger]], pushing power output to {{convert|490|bhp|kW|0|abbr=on}}. Over the next three years this would increase to well over {{convert|500|bhp|kW|-1|abbr=on}}, with the A443's 2.2L unit developing {{convert|520|bhp|kW|0|abbr=on}}.

[[File:Renault Alpine A442 n3 (1978) pic1.JPG|thumb|left|The 1978 [[Jean-Pierre Jarier|Jarier]]/[[Derek Bell (racing driver)|Bell]] A442A, displaying the acrylic bubble canopy introduced for the [[1978 24 Hours of Le Mans]] race]]

In common with the earlier cars, the engine was suspended inside a relatively small steel [[spaceframe]] chassis, which was then clothed in a much longer [[Glass-reinforced plastic|fibreglass]] body. The extra length of the body was mostly to be found in the tail section, to improve high-speed aerodynamic efficiency, and hence top speed on the long [[Mulsanne]] straight at [[Circuit de la Sarthe]]. The bodywork was a conventional open two-seater arrangement. Designed as a "''hare''", to stretch their [[Porsche 936]] rivals to breaking point, the A443 also incorporated a slightly longer wheelbase. Following [[wind tunnel]] testing during the autumn and winter of 1977, the A442B and A443 were introduced in 1978 each sporting an [[acrylic glass]] "bubble" partial roof, resulting in an additional {{convert|8|km/h|mph|0|abbr=on}} in top speed at la Sarthe, but reducing visibility from the driving seat. However, during practice for the [[1978 24 Hours of Le Mans|1978 Le Mans race]], A443 drivers [[Patrick Depailler]] and [[Jean-Pierre Jabouille]] complained that the bubble made them feel claustrophobic and trapped engine heat inside the cockpit, making driving conditions intolerable. Therefore, only the A442B ever competed with the bubble in place.

By 1978, [[Gérard Larrousse]] had moved up from works driver to manage the Renault Sport team. He laid out the team's priorities: win at Le Mans, then focus all attention on repeating the success in Formula One. Renault ploughed a huge budget into developing the A442 into a Le Mans winner. Many hours were spent in testing, particularly using long airport [[runway]]s to simulate the mechanical and aerodynamic stresses induced on the long, fast [[Mulsanne Straight]]. In addition, Renault's engine department went to work on squeezing as much power out of the five-year-old powerplant as possible. Capacity was upped to 2138 cc, just short of the theoretical 2142 cc limit for turbocharged cars, and this revamped engine was installed into the new, lengthened chassis, becoming the A443.

In full qualifying trim, with the bubble roof, the A443 achieved a top speed of {{convert|236|mph|km/h|0|abbr=on}}<ref name=fast>{{cite web|url= https://www.fastcar.co.uk/fast-car-news/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-renault/ |title= 10 Things You Didn't Know About Renault |website= FastCar.co.uk |date= 30 July 2012 |access-date= 25 January 2018 |publisher= Kelsey Media Ltd. }}</ref> on the Mulsanne Straight, making it the fastest car ever produced by Renault, a record which still stands today and includes all of Renault's F1 entries.

==Race history==
The A442 made its competition debut in March 1975, at the [[Mugello 1000 km]], with Jabouille and Larrousse, although other sources report the car to be an A441 with the new turbo engine.<ref name="mugello1975">{{cite web|title= 1975 Mugello 1000km |url= http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/Mugello-1975-03-23-2539.html?sort=Results |work= www.racingsportscars.com |access-date= 21 August 2012 }}</ref> Despite the relatively underdeveloped turbo addition to the Renault engine, the car lasted long enough for the team to take a surprise win in its very first race. In the 1976 [[Nürburgring]] 300&nbsp;km two Renaults qualified in the front row,<ref name="A442stats">{{cite web|title= Renault Alpine A442 statistics |url= http://www.racingsportscars.com/type/archive/Alpine/A442.html |work= www.racingsportscars.com |access-date= 21 August 2012 }}</ref> only to crash out in the second corner. Subsequent repeated mechanical failures meant that going into the [[1976 24 Hours of Le Mans]] the team had failed to win another race.<ref name="A442stats"/> That run of form was not to change, and the single car entered dropped out with engine failure before half of the 24 hours had elapsed.

[[File:Renault Alpine A442 at LeMans 24 hours 1977.jpg|thumb|left|[[Patrick Depailler]] driving a Renault Alpine A442 in the [[1977 24 Hours of Le Mans]] race]]
For the Renault management, success at Le Mans was a huge prestige issue. For the [[1977 24 Hours of Le Mans|1977 race]] the [[Renault Sport]] works team fielded three cars, drafted in endurance specialist [[Derek Bell (auto racer)|Derek Bell]], and were supported by an additional, privately entered A442. In the intervening period between the two Le Mans starts, the Renault Alpines had taken second and third places in the 500&nbsp;km [[Automobile Club de France|ACF]] race at [[Dijon-Prenois]], as well as second place at the high-speed 4h [[Autodromo Nazionale Monza|Monza]] round. Expectation and publicity levels were high. It was therefore something of an embarrassment when not one of the four cars reached the finishing flag. Renault's yellow and black liveried squad did not compare favourably with the white [[Martini Racing]] [[Porsche 936]] and [[Porsche 935]]. In both World Championship series of 1976, these reliable, fast cars scored repeated wins.

[[Image:Renault Alpine A443 Donington 2007.jpg|thumb|right|The 1978 ''Renault Alpine A443'' being demonstrated at [[Donington Park]] in 2007]]
At the [[1978 24 Hours of Le Mans]], their huge development program paid off. Once again, the works team entered three cars: an old A442, renamed A442A; the bubble-canopied A442B; and the A443. A second A442A was entered by [[Ecurie Calberson]]. The work carried out since the 1977 race meant that, for once, Renault was on a par with the dominant Porsche 936 turbo cars, which had been improved, and the two manufacturers shared the first four rows of the grid equally. The [[Porsche 935]]/78 ''Moby Dick'', which due to its aerodynamic layout and 800 horsepower achieved over 360&nbsp;km/h on the straight, qualified third, behind the new 936 and the A443.

From the start, the A443 was the class of the field, lapping in under 3 minutes 40 seconds,<ref>Lothar Boschen, [[Jürgen Barth]]: ''Das Große Buch der Porsche Typen'', Motorbuch Verlag, 1983</ref> while the Porsches had planned to do only 3:40 to 3:50. Jabouille took fastest lap at 3:34, which was six seconds slower than in qualifying, before the A443's engine finally broke in the 18th hour. This was the second Renault retirement, after the Bell/Jarier A442A works car had suffered transmission failure at the half-way point. However, Pironi and Jaussaud in the A442B were well placed to inherit the lead. Two 936s had technical problems, the third crashed at 11 am. The pairing held on to the lead for the final few hours, finishing four laps ahead of the second-placed Porsche. The privateer A442A also finished well, taking fourth place behind the two remaining 936s. After the final flag Pironi was too exhausted to climb up to the podium, where Jaussaud took the trophy alone.

== Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results ==
Results in '''bold''' indicate pole position. Results in ''italics'' indicate fastest lap.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"
! Year
! Entrant
! Car
! Class
! Drivers
! {{Tooltip|No.|Car number}}
! Laps
! {{Tooltip|Pos.|Overall position}}
! {{Tooltip|Class Pos.|Class position}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |[[1976 24 Hours of Le Mans|'''1976''']]
| rowspan="3" |{{Flagicon|FRA}} [[Renault Sport]]
| rowspan="12" |Renault Alpine A442
| rowspan="3" |Gp. 6 3.
|{{Flagicon|FRA}} [[Didier Pironi]]
| rowspan="3" |19
| rowspan="3" |135
| rowspan="3" |DNF
| rowspan="3" |DNF
|-
|{{Flagicon|FRA}} [[Guy Fréquelin]]
|-
|{{Flagicon|FRA}} [[René Arnoux]]
|-
| rowspan="9" |'''[[1977 24 Hours of Le Mans|1977]]'''
| rowspan="6" |{{Flagicon|FRA}} [[Renault Sport|Équipe Renault Elf]]
| rowspan="9" |Gr. 6 S 3.0
|{{Flagicon|FRA}} [[Patrick Tambay]]
| rowspan="2" |7
| rowspan="2" |158
| rowspan="2" |DNF
| rowspan="2" |DNF
|-
|{{Flagicon|FRA}} [[Jean-Pierre Jaussaud]]
|-
|{{Flagicon|FRA}} [[Patrick Depailler]]
| rowspan="2" |8
| rowspan="2" |289
| rowspan="2" |DNF
| rowspan="2" |DNF
|-
|{{Flagicon|FRA}} [[Jacques Laffite]]
|-
|{{Flagicon|FRA}} [[Jean-Pierre Jabouille]]
| rowspan="2" |9
| rowspan="2" |257
| rowspan="2" |DNF
| rowspan="2" |DNF
|-
|{{Flagicon|GBR}} [[Derek Bell (racing driver)|Derek Bell]]
|-
| rowspan="3" |{{Flagicon|FRA}} J. Haran / [[Oreca|H. de Chaunac]]
''(private entrant)''
|{{Flagicon|FRA}} [[Didier Pironi]]
| rowspan="3" |16
| rowspan="3" |0
| rowspan="3" |DNF
| rowspan="3" |DNF
|-
|{{Flagicon|FRA}} [[René Arnoux]]
|-
|{{Flagicon|FRA}} [[Guy Fréquelin]]
|-
| rowspan="8" |[[1978 24 Hours of Le Mans|'''1978''']]
| rowspan="4" |{{Flagicon|FRA}} [[Renault Sport]]
| rowspan="2" |Renault Alpine A442B
| rowspan="8" |S +2.0
|{{Flagicon|FRA}} [[Didier Pironi]]
| rowspan="2" |2
| rowspan="2" |369
!style="background:#FFFFBF;" rowspan="2" |1st
!style="background:#FFFFBF;" rowspan="2" |1st
|-
|{{Flagicon|FRA}} [[Jean-Pierre Jaussaud]]
|-
| rowspan="6" |Renault Alpine A442A
|{{Flagicon|GBR}} [[Derek Bell (racing driver)|Derek Bell]]
| rowspan="2" |3
| rowspan="2" |162
| rowspan="2" |DNF
| rowspan="2" |DNF
|-
|{{Flagicon|FRA}} [[Jean-Pierre Jarier]]
|-
| rowspan="4" |{{Flagicon|FRA}} Equipe [[Renault]] [[Elf Aquitaine|Elf Sport Calberson]]
|{{Flagicon|FRA}} [[Guy Fréquelin]]
| rowspan="4" |4
| rowspan="4" |358
| rowspan="4" |4th
| rowspan="4" |4th
|-
|{{Flagicon|FRA}} [[Jean Ragnotti]]
|-
|{{Flagicon|FRA}} [[José Dolhem]]
|-
|{{Flagicon|FRA}} [[Jean-Pierre Jabouille]]
|}

==References==
;Citations
{{Reflist}}

;Other sources
*{{cite web |url= http://passionnemans.free.fr/histoire/renault/renault_02/renault_02.html |title=La Renault Alpine A442 |access-date=2007-02-17 |work= Passionnemans (French) }}
*{{cite web |url= http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/frame.php?file=car.php&carnum=2299 |title= Renault-Alpine A442B |access-date=2007-02-17 |work= www.Ultimatecarpage.com }}
*{{cite web |url= http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/frame.php?file=car.php&carnum=2298 |title= Renault-Alpine A443 |access-date=2007-02-17 |work= www.Ultimatecarpage.com }}
*{{cite web |url= http://www.renaultsport.co.uk/latestnews/heritage/story.asp?ArticleID=1100 |title= Renault Alpine A443 |access-date=2007-02-17 |work= Renault Sport }}

==External links==
{{Listen
 |filename     =Alpine-Renault A443 (1978).ogg
 |title        =Renault A443 at Goodwood Festival of Speed 2010
 |type         =sound
}}
{{Commons category inline|Renault Alpine A442}}<br>
{{Commons category inline|Renault Alpine A443}}
<br>
{{Renault}}

[[Category:Renault vehicles|Alpine A442]]
[[Category:Alpine vehicles]]
[[Category:Sports prototypes]]
[[Category:24 Hours of Le Mans race cars]]
[[Category:Le Mans winning cars]]