The Alpine A441 is a 2-liter (Sports 2000) Group 5 sports prototype racing car built by French company Alpine and co-developed by Renault to compete in the 1974 European 2 Liter Sports Car Championship. It was designed by French engineer and racing driver André de Cortanze.[1] [2] [3] [4]
In 1973, after having achieved much success in rally, Alpine decided to turn its attention and commitment to endurance racing, where despite having participated since 1963, it had not yet obtained significant results. Thus was conceived the Alpine A440 Barchetta, powered by a 2.0-liter 270 HP Renault- Gordini V6 engine, which immediately proved to be competitive.
An evolution of the A440 was prepared for the following season, equipped with a higher wheelbase, the Hewland FGA400 gearbox, and a lighter engine using magnesium and light alloys. The chassis was reinforced with aluminum sheets riveted to the tubular structure and the engine became partially load-bearing. At the same time, the suspension was revised to alleviate the understeer that the previous car suffered. Dubbed the A441, four prototypes were constructed and entrusted to some of the best racing drivers that France could offer at the time; including Gérard Larrousse, Jean-Pierre Jabouille, Alain Serpaggi and Alain Cudini. In their hands, Alpine-Renault won seven out of seven races and took the 1974 Marche continental title, while Alain Serpaggi made him the European drivers' title, finishing ahead of his teammates Larrousse and Jabouille.
The following season the car was entrusted to private teams, while one example was equipped with a turbocharged engine by the American Garrett Systems to carry on the development of its heir, the A442. Among the results obtained by the private teams, there is the victory in the 2.0-liter class and the fourth place overall obtained at the 1000 km of Monza 1975 by the couple Marie-Claude Beaumont-Lella Lombardi.
When the results of the championship were announced, the Alpine team took the title thanks to seven victories for the Alpine A441.
At the World Sports Prototypes Championship, the team transforms the A441 model into the A441 Turbo (A441T) and it will be Gérard Larrousse who will be the driver. The difference with the previous model is the engine of the car: a 2-liter turbo engine developed by Bernard Dudot. The power of the motor then increased to 490 hp at 9,900 revolutions per minute (against 485 at 9,800).
The car is first sighted at the Mugello 1,000 km, on March 23, 1975. Jean-Pierre Jabouille and Gérard Larrousse drive this new model and finish on the top steps of the podium. An Alpine A441 was also part of the race in the Elf-Switzerland team; it is piloted by Marie-Claude Beaumont and Léa Lombardi who finished sixth.
The Renault Alpine team decides to put an end to the use of the Alpine A441 to develop the next A442 model. The model is then only used for testing. We find however the A441 during the races in the stable of Elf-Switzerland. It is found during notable races such as:
The 1000 km of Monza: April 20, 1975. The car comes in fourth behind the A442.The 1,000 km of Spa: May 4, 1975 (the cars did not participate).The 1000 km of the Nürburgring: June 1, 1975 (but only during testing).The 1975 24 Hours of Le Mans; where the car was part of the Elf-Switzerland team.The 1,000 km of Zeltweg June 29, 1975, women's race, but the pilot on board the A441 abandons.
The Alpine A441 was retired end of the 1975 season, to give way to its successor; the A442.