Nicolas Lapierre has announced his professional motorsport retirement after standing on Alpine’s first Hypercar podium at the 6 Hours of Fuji.
The two-time WEC LMP2 champion and four-time Le Mans class-winner confirmed that the 6 Hours of Fuji was his final professional motor race.
He actively competed in all World Endurance Championship seasons since the inaugural in 2012 with Toyota’s then-new LMP1 Hybrid project.
The 40-year-old Frenchman concluded his career with a podium in Japan which was the first for Alpine’s A424 LMDh.
In an Instagram video post, he said: “Today is a very important day for me.
“I’m here to announce that Fuji was my last race as a driver.
“It’s time for me to hang up my helmet and end this chapter of my life.
“It was great to finish this journey on the podium and spray the champagne once more.
“It was an honour for me to live from my passion for so many years to do what I love. And this was thanks to very special people.”
Lapierre mentioned his close supporters throughout his career, such as his father and his wife.
“One very important man in my career was obviously Hugues de Chaunac (founder of Oreca) as well.
“Hugues was the man who brought me to endurance racing in 2007, where I did my first Le Mans 24 hours.
“I raced many times on the Oreca chassis and I’ve shared some great souvenirs with this team, including the Sebring 12 Hours win back in 2011.
“… Now it’s time for a new chapter of my life.
“A new chapter on the other side of the pit wall, the side that I love.
“I love it as much as I loved racing, so I won’t be far away. Thank you everyone and see you soon on track.”
Lapierre’s staple in sportscar racing
Lapierre is one of the veterans of the WEC and is well-regarded for his approachable persona.
He made the atypical switch from single-seaters into sportscar racing towards the end of the 2000s.
From a two-time 12 Hours of Sebring winner, to a pair of consecutive Le Mans LMP2 victories with Alpine during the 2018-19 WEC and more, Lapierre was a capable sportscar driver.
He competed in 17 Le Mans 24 Hours across a variety of Le Mans Prototype machinery.
Prior to his chapters with Peugeot, Toyota and Alpine, came his 2007 event debut in a Saleen S7-R.
Ahead of the WEC’s Spa-Francorchamps race, he spoke with Motorsport Week on his passion for sportscar racing and the Alpine LMDh project.
As the team principal of sportscar team COOL Racing, and now-sporting director at the Alpine Endurance Team, Lapierre will focus on other roles whilst still in the paddock.
Alpine allowed reserve driver Jules Gounon to pilot the #35 Alpine A424 twice and will likely be Lapierre’s replacement from the 8 Hours of Bahrain season finale on 2 November.
