User:SmackJam/sandbox/2020 BNP Paribas 240

The 2020 BNP Paribas 240 was the first round of the 2020 Championnat AXA Alpine season and the inaugural race of the series. It took place at Circuit Paul Ricard on July 24th, 2020.

Background
The race marked the first event of the newly-formed Championnat AXA Alpine, a multi-class one-make event for Alpine cars. The race date was announced just four days prior, hence the low number of foreign entries into the race. Alpine, despite running exclusively their automobiles in the series, only sponsored one factory team, the Signatech team with two entries.

Entry list
The race drew nineteen entries, six in the LMP class, five in GT, and eight in the Production class. Only four cars were fielded with manufacturer support, the two Signatech LMPs which were supported by Alpine themselves, and the Renault LMP entries, of course fielded by Renault. The field was littered with both professional and amateur talent, with drivers such as Daniel Ricciardo, Patrick Pilet, and former IndyCar driver Sébastien Bourdais spread across the three classes.

Qualifying
Qualifying was commenced through a random drawing of lots, with entries being seeded by class. The #36 Signatech entry drew the overall pole, while the #31 Renault drew second overall. Alexandre Prémat drew pole in the GT class, while the Equipe Vitesse #98 took pole in the Production class.

Qualifying results
Pole positions in each class are indicated in bold.

Race report
The race began around 16:00 (4:00 PM) local time, and the #31 took the lead entering turn one. Ten minutes into the race, the Production class pole-sitter retired with engine issues. The reliability of Production cars, specifically the A310s, was further called into question not fifteen minutes later, when the #98 of Dany Courtial was forced to pit with mechanical issues. Positions stabilized for a while thereafter, with Ricciardo holding on overall. Just over an hour in, however, Pierre Ragues grabbed the lead after outbraking Ricciardo in turn eight. Coming into turn one the subsequent lap, Ricciardo locked up his tires and ran into Ragues, further collecting the #76 IMSA Performance GT entry. All three cars were forced to retire from the race as a result of damage from the accident. The #3 Renault, who inherited the lead after the crash, held the lead for the next 20 minutes, but relinquished it after a difficult driver change and pit stop. Pierre Thiriet held the lead the remainder of the race. 45 minutes into the second hour, Kévin Estre took over the GT class lead after a battle with Will Stevens, and he would go onto hold that lead to the end. Sébastien Bourdais and Nicolas Minassian fought for the PRO lead to the bitter end, only separated by two tenths of a second at the line.