THE ALPINE ELF EUROPA CUP HOSTS ITS NEW FIELD AT NOGARO

TWO MENEXPECTED

Nogaro will host theseason-opening round for the fifth consecutive year with a line-up that hasundergone a veritable rejuvenation this winter. Among them, two men will befollowed closely as former winners in the Alpine Elf Europa Cup: Matéo Herrero(Herrero Racing) and Alexis Garcin (Chazel Technologie Course Junior).

Matéo Herrero, who won theJunior category in 2019, will return to the track where he made his winningdebut four years ago. Third in the general classification for his maidencampaign, he repeated the feat the following year with two successes in theGers, but missed out on the title. After tackling GT4, the Noaillan native willtry to rely on his experience to install himself at the sharp end of the fieldon his return to the A110 Cup.

Facing him, Alexis Garcin willtry to continue his impressive rise in form seen throughout his first season ina car. Consistently in the top ten last year, the former kart racer steadilyincreased his pace culminating in his first victory in the Monza downpour.Sixth in the general classification and fifth in the Junior category, the driverfrom Lyon is back this year with ambitions logically revised upwards.

A YOUTHMOVEMENT

Fourteen Juniors - drivers underthe age of 23 - will be at Nogaro, where the battle promises to be indecisive,intense and disputed in this field where it is anyone's for the taking.

Matéo Herrero and Alexis Garcinwill cross paths with well-known rivals such as Louis Maurice (Code RacingDevelopment), Jules Gougeon (Chazel Technologie Course Junior), Tim Mérieux(Autosport GP), and Romain Brun (Herrero Racing), all determined to reach amilestone in their second season with the Signatech-designed Alpine A110 Cup.

Some hopefuls will have clearintentions to upset the hierarchy. This will be the case of Lorens Lecertua andEnzo Geraci, two Chazel Technologie Course Junior protégés coming from theFrench F4 Championship, as Pierre Sancinena and Jean-Baptiste Mela before claimingthe Alpine Elf Europa Cup crown. Other rookies to watch closely include EthanBernard (Herrero Racing), who won the Endurance Cup by Funyo, kart racer LukasPapin (Autosport GP) and Léo Jousset (Race Cars Consulting), who is ready todiscover the world of rear-wheel drive after impressing in Clio Cup France.

Lastly, the VPS Racing teamcreated by Alpine Elf Endurance Team driver Matthieu Vaxiviere with AurélienPanis and Raphaël Serrano, and supported by BWT Alpine F1 Team driver PierreGasly, will make its Alpine Elf Europa Cup debut. After rapidly imposing itselfas the new reference in Mitjet, the structure will target the same success withits three Juniors: Romain Favre, Mitjet 2L France Trophy winner at the age of17, Sami Dhahri, also a Mitjet transfer, and Willyam Gosselin, coming from theUltimate Cup Series.

GENTLEMEN ANDCHALLENGERS READY TO BATTLE

As always since 2018, theGentlemen category - designed for drivers over 45 - will offer a race withinthe race.

Anthony Fournier (Race CarsConsulting) will defend his crown against Philippe Bourgois (Chazel TechnologieCourse), determined to regain the title he won in 2020. Last year's runner-upLaurent Richard (Herrero Racing) will also try to get his revenge in a class wherewe will find Pierre Macchi (Autosport GP), a regular in the discipline since2018. Lastly, Alain Jacono (Chazel Technologie Course) will contest his firstmotorsport campaign a few days after claiming an Ultimate Cup GT Sprintcategory podium at Le Castellet with the A110 Cup.

A new class introduced thisyear, the Challengers category is dedicated to competitors aged between 23 and44 with no track record, and its field is just as open. The experienced DenisBernardi (Herrero Racing) and Pierre-Laurent Figuiere (Chazel TechnologieCourse), the ambitious Adrien Catelin (Code Racing Development) and MargauxVerza (Autosport GP), who will be keen to put her experience to good use afterher first season in 2022, will all be up against it. In the Gers, the surprisecould nonetheless come from guest driver Julien Fébreau. Already a winner inthe Gentlemen's category at Nogaro in 2019, the French voice of Formula 1 willreturn to the Alpine Elf Europa Cup and try to create a sensation during his singleappearance on a track he knows well with the n°110 Alpine A110 Cup!

Throughout this campaign, whichwill see them competing alongside the top European GT championships,competitors will also be vying for a generous prize fund spread evenly at eachrace meeting and in all categories. The eventual winner will receive a €40,000purse with a view to moving up to GT4. In the Junior category, the championwill receive €15,000 if they wish to return to the Alpine Elf Europa Cup whilethe Challengers and Gentlemen categories winners will each receive a €10,000stipend.

Scheduled for Sunday at 2.15 pmand Monday at 3.40 pm, the first two races of the year will be streamed live onthe Alpine Elf Europa Cup YouTube channeland Facebook page.

2023 CALENDAR

8-10 April: Nogaro (France)

4-6 May: Magny-Cours (France)

1-4 June: Spa-Francorchamps (Belgique)

16-18 June: Dijon-Prenois (France)

14-16 September: Barcelone (Espagne)

6-8 October: Le Castellet (France)

TIMETABLE

Saturday 8 April

9:35-10:15 am: Free practice 1

1:30-2:10 pm: Free practice 2

5:30-5:50 pm: Qualifying 1

Sunday 9 April

2:15-2:45: Race 1

Monday 10April

9:20-9:40 am: Qualifying 2

3:40-4:10: Race 2

ABOUT ALPINE

Founded in 1955 by Jean Rédélé, the brand has set itself apart with itsFrench-style sports cars. In 2018, the brand presented the new A110, a sportscar faithful to Alpine's timeless principles of compactness, lightness, agilityand driving pleasure. The Alpine Business Unit was created in 2021 and thusbecame the brand dedicated to innovative, authentic, exclusive sportscars ofthe Renault Group, benefiting from the heritage and craftsmanship of itshistoric plant in Dieppe and the Alpine Racing and Alpine Cars teamsengineering mastery.