That announcement could drop at literally any moment now. According to Motorsport.com Italia, negotiations to transition the A424 LMDh machines to a new manufacturer are reaching their final phase, with the Chinese automotive giant Geely emerging as the front-runner.
Following Renault's decision to pull the plug on its FIA WEC program at the end of the year, its works squad Signatech immediately set to work finding a way forward. While names like BYD bounced around the paddock rumour mills, Geely quickly took center stage. Philippe Sinault, the team principal of Signatech, explained that the clock is ticking down to the entry deadline on November 26, though he insists the squad is not yet in full emergency mode.
"Ormai ogni giorno è buono, anche perché il tempo sta per scadere," Sinault told the press about the timeline of the decision. While waiting until November 25 would make things exceptionally complicated, everyone involved clearly understands the pressure of the calendar.
Much of the heavy lifting in these discussions involves the intellectual property rights shared between Geely and Renault, leaving Sinault and his crew waiting on the green light. But once that clearance arrives, the operation will be ready to roll. The A424 currently sports distinct design cues from the road car lineup, including rear lights shaped like the company logo, yet Sinault remains confident that tweaking the styling to match a new maker's identity will be a straightforward fix compared to securing a definitive vision for the future.
Meanwhile, the team has not run a single private test since May, pouring all their energy into saving the outfit's future in the wake of the 24h of Le Mans. That pause has naturally put the brakes on any significant car developments for the upcoming season, leaving the #36 Alpine Endurance Team crew—featuring drivers Jules Gounon and Victor Martins—to focus entirely on making it onto the grid for 2027.
