The Renault Alpine A442B, wearing the bubble canopy. | |||||
Category | Group 6 sports prototype | ||||
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Constructor | Alpine/Renault | ||||
Designer(s) | François Castaing Bernard Dudot | ||||
Predecessor | Alpine A441 | ||||
Successor | Alpine A424 | ||||
Technical specifications | |||||
Chassis | Aluminium-reinforced steel spaceframe | ||||
Suspension (front) | Double wishbone | ||||
Suspension (rear) | Double wishbone | ||||
Engine | Renault-Gordini 1997 cc 90° V6 turbo, mid-mounted | ||||
Transmission | Hewland TL200 5-speed manual | ||||
Fuel | Elf | ||||
Tyres | Michelin | ||||
Competition history | |||||
Notable entrants | Renault Sport | ||||
Notable drivers | Gérard Larrousse Jean-Pierre Jabouille Henri Pescarolo Jody Scheckter Didier Pironi Jean-Pierre Jaussaud Patrick Tambay Jacques Laffite Jean-Pierre Jarier Derek Bell René Arnoux | ||||
Debut | 1975 Mugello 1000 km | ||||
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The Renault Alpine A442 (also known as the Alpine Renault A442 [1]) is a sports prototype racing car, designed and built by 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, 1977 and 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.