It appears there is no deal after all between Geely and Alpine regarding the purchase of the WEC programme – will BYD step in, or is Signatech facing the axe?
The future of Signatech’s Hypercar team actually seemed all but assured, but then came a spectacular twist: takeover negotiations with the Chinese Geely Group, which were intended to save Alpine’s WEC programme, appear to be on the brink of collapse.
As Italian-Endurance was the first media outlet to report from the paddock at the European Le Mans Series finale in Portimão, the negotiations have suffered an abrupt setback.
The news comes as a huge surprise, given that Signatech team principal Philippe Sinault had recently appeared as confident as ever at the WEC round in Fuji, emphasising that everything was under control.
Behind the scenes, however, there are now many indications pointing to a dramatic scenario: The Alpine A424 LMDh cars could be completely absent from the starting grid for the 2027 WEC season.
Ever since the new Renault CEO, François Provost, decided to end the works programme at the end of the 2026 season, Sinault has been fighting tirelessly to keep his team afloat.
Whilst BYD was initially considered a strong contender, Geely emerged as the more concrete option. The Chinese giant, which already cooperates with Renault in the production car sector, had even sent delegates to Alpine’s bases in Viry-Chatillon and Bourges to inspect the on-site motorsport infrastructure.
Although the deal seemed close to being finalised, the project now looks set to fall through at the final hurdle. Should this prove to be the case, there will be very little time left before the entry deadline on 26 November. One option would be to take a break in 2027 to prepare for Geely’s potential entry in 2028.
However, should this plan also fail, Sinault and his experienced Signatech team face the bitterest of consequences following the WEC season finale at Monza on 8 November: the complete closure of the team.