L’Héraultais Pascal Janel is one of the 10 drivers selected by Alpine to compete in French championship races and regional rally championships in an electric car, competing against traditional combustion engine vehicles.
When he starts the engine of his Alpine A290, Pascal Janel’s garage reverberates with the roar of his electric racing car. A true engine sound, not a sound effect for drivers craving sensory experiences. A former rally driver in combustion engine cars, Janel has transitioned to electric driving with the A290 model, which has been on the market for some time. The Alpine group decided to create a racing version of this car, similar to what they did with the 110 RGT. Janel summarizes, “While the 110 RGT was very different from the classic 110, this is the opposite. It’s really about projecting the electric vehicle into the world of sportiness.”
So, behind the wheel of this machine, he will compete in the Alpine Cup in both regional and national championships. In total, the Hérault crew will participate in 6 French championship events. Electric cars in competition may not be new, but this time the Alpine will race among combustion engine cars. In regional events, it will be classified at the same level. Janel recalls, “If I participate in the Vine Du Gard, the Camisard, the Lozère, or the Pays Viganais… I will have a ranking with the combustion engine cars. This happened at the Indre rally last November. It was a world first, the first time that combustion engine cars were pitted against electric cars.”
“I have been lucky to participate in many rallies with cars that have given me pleasure but also had a large carbon footprint. After setting up my racing school, I wanted to come back. I thought that returning to electric competition and being among the first 10 in automotive history was a nice way to end my career,” he adds. Even though he gets teased by his friends who remain loyal to combustion engines.
“A car easy to drive”
Beyond the banter, Pascal Janel was a bit surprised by this car. “It has an exceptional chassis, powerful brakes, and remarkable road holding,” he analyzes. “It is the size of a Rally 2, like a C3. Engineers used parts from the mainstream Renault series: a Traffic triangle, a Scénic pivot, Alpine SUV discs. This makes repairs more affordable. It’s also an easy car to drive: I can go alone with my co-driver, it recharges quickly, and there is no gearbox oil change. It’s an interesting entry point for young people, a simple way to get into motorsports.” And on the field, the mockery quickly stopped after the first real test at the Indre rally in November. “A young driver finished seventh overall, which silenced the skeptics,” Janel smiles.
In terms of logistics, Alpine did not cut corners either. For national events, the French firm will set up a real village to allow recharging of cars. “They have invested heavily, using batteries instead of diesel generators for recharging,” explains Pascal Janel. For regional rallies, the pilot has found charging stations to recharge his vehicle after each special stage. 100% green, allowing for the attraction of a new audience. Janel concludes, aware that he may be opening a new era in his sport by reconnecting auto racing with modern times.
