The future of the Signatech team and its participation in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) is uncertain, after negotiations with Geely Group seemingly came to a sudden halt. November 26 is approaching as the deadline for entries for 2027, leaving the French outfit in a delicate situation.
News about the situation emerged from the paddock of the European Le Mans Series in Portimao, with surprising comments from Philippe Sinault, director of the Alpine team, in a pre-Fuji conversation where he stated that negotiations were progressing adequately.
After the new CEO of the Renault group decided to close Alpine’s WEC program, Sinault has been working to secure a future for the team, which has accumulated extensive experience in LMP2 and LMP1. Initial discussions with Chinese manufacturers like BYD provided hope, but Geely gained traction as a potential interlocutor.
Although conversations between Geely and Renault/Alpine have not been officially confirmed, meetings had continued with the aim of taking over the A424 program, rebranding the vehicles according to the needs of the Chinese group. Sinault’s assertions had indicated that there were no significant obstacles, making this latest information even more puzzling.
If the situation is confirmed, it could become virtually impossible for Oreca’s LMDh vehicles to participate in the WEC in 2027. One alternative would be to postpone their entry into the championship until 2028, but this option also presents great uncertainty, leaving Sinault’s team facing the troubling prospect of closing the doors after the final race in Monza, which will take place on November 8.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
SourceID: SRC_c710b49f7385cffbbcf3af733590f5a50f5e5fa2