Alexandre Imperatori

Alexandre Imperatori is a Swiss-German racing driver who lives in Shanghai, China. In recent years, he mostly participated in sports car competitions, such were FIA World Endurance Championship, VLN Endurance Series or Japanese Super GT Series. Earlier in a career, Imperatori's greatest success was a championship title in the 2012 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia.

Alex Imperatori

Alex started racing at the age 4

Alexandre Imperatori was born on April 19, 1987, in Switzerland, but he has a dual citizenship of Switzerland and Germany. He started racing very early, at the age of 4, driving go-karts in Spain. Until 2003, he competed all over Europe, with 2000 French Junior Championship title as his most notable result.

Chinese Formula Renault champion in 2006

Alexandre moved to bigger cars in 2003, earning the Mygale scholarship in the Formula Campus. In 2004, Alexandre moved to China, participating in three races of the Asian Formula Renault Challenge with Asia Racing Team. He spent a full season in that championship in 2006, finishing as the runner-up and winning the Chinese Formula Renault title. The season 2007 was his last in the Formula Renault, he was again second in the Asian Challenge standings.

Three seasons in the Japanese Formula 3

In 2008, Imperatori progresses to the Japanese Formula 3 Championship. For third year in a row, Imperatori was just a step from a title, finishing second in the National Class standings, behind Hideki Yamauchi. He spent three seasons in the Japanese Formula 3, finishing third in the 2009 National Class and fifth in the 2010 Championship class.

In 2011, Alex was driving #18 Toyota in Formula Nippon

Three different championships in 2011

In 2011, Imperatori stepped up to Formula Nippon, the highest level of single-seater racing in Japan. Driving the #18 Toyota for SGC by KCMG, he finished 12th in the points. In the same year, he also participated in the Japanese Super GT Series and Porsche Carrera Cup Asia.

In the GT championship, he was driving Lexus IS350 for Team SG Changi together with Ryo Orime, finishing sixth in the points with one victory (Sugo). He was most successful in the Carrera Cup Asia, scoring 8 wins in 10 races. Imperatori missed two races due to conflicting commitments, so he finished third in the points.

Victory at 6 hours of Zhuhai in 2011

The highlight of the season was Imperatori's participation at 6 hours of Zhuhai in November. The race was a part of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup. He was driving the #98 Audi R8 LMS for Audi Sport C Racing together with Edoardo Mortara and Darryl O'Young. They finished 18th overall and first in GTC class.

Alex competed four seasons in the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia

2012 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia champion

In 2012, Imperatori returned to the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia, driving for Team Starchase. This time, he participated in all races, winning seven times and dominantly taking the championship title.

He was driving Team Starchase's Porsche 911 GT3 R at 2012 Macau GT Cup, finishing in the second place, behind Audi's Edoardo Mortara. In the same year, he participated in three Super GT races with Team SGC's Lexus, sharing a car with Ryo Orime.

Alex spent two seasons with KCMG

FIA WEC and Le Mans debut with KCMG in 2013

In 2013, Imperatori spent a season with the Team Starchase, finishing seventh in the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia and third at Macau GT Cup, but he also debuted in the FIA World Endurance Championship and American Le Mans Series.

In March 2013, Imperatori debuted at 12 hours of Sebring with Flying Lizard Motorsports, driving the #44 Porsche 997 GT3 Cup together with Pierre Ehret and Brett Sandberg. They finished ninth in the GTC class. In the FIA WEC, Imperatori joined Hong Kong-based KC Motorgroup (KCMG) to drive a Morgan LMP2 prototype at Silverstone and Le Mans. In his Le Mans debut, he was sharing a car with Matthew Howson and Ho-Pin Tung. They retired after 241 laps.

Falken Motorsports' crew for the 24 hours of Nurburgring

Participating in three 24-hour races in 2014

In 2014, Imperatori returned to FIA WEC with KCMG, taking part in six races with #47 Oreca 03-Nissan. Together with Matthew Howson and Richard Bradley, he scored two LMP2 class wins at Bahrain and Sao Paulo. At 24h Le Mans, KCMG's crew retired again.

In 2014, Imperatori participated in two more 24-hour races. In January, he was driving Muehlner Motorsports' Porsche at 24 hours of Daytona, recording a DNF. Few months later, he was driving Porsche for Falken Motorsports at 24 hours of Nurburgring, finishing in the fourth place.

In 2014, Imperatori also participated in the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia, finishing third in the final standings.

Alex Imperatori joined Rebellion Racing in 2015

2015 FIA WEC season with Rebellion Racing

For the 2015 FIA WEC season, Imperatori joined Rebellion Racing, driving Rebellion R-One LMP1 prototype together with Dominik Kraihamer and Daniel Abt. At Le Mans, they finished 18th overall and 9th in LMP1 class. During a season, they participated together in six races.

Imperatori's other competitions in 2015 were VLN Endurance Series and Super GT, both with Porsches. At 24 hours of Nurburgring, he reached a podium, finishing third with Falken Motorsports' #44 Porsche 997 GT3 R. His co-drivers were Peter Dumbreck, Wolf Henzler and Martin Ragginger.

Alex (in the middle) with Rebellion Racing teammates in 2016

Two FIA WEC podiums in 2016

Imperatori stayed with Rebellion racing in the 2016 FIA WEC season, participating in all nine races with #13 Rebellion R-One. He was sharing a car with Dominik Kraihamer and Matheo Tuscher. Their best results were third-place finishes at Silverstone and Spa. In the final standings at the end of the season, they were in the seventh place. At Le Mans, the #13 crew retired after 200 laps.

Imperatori's other commitments in 2016 were VLN races with Falken Motorsports' Porsche. At 24 hours of Nurburgring, the #44 Falken's crew finished in the ninth place.

Alex stayed with Falken Motorsports in 2017

GT racing commitments all over the world

In 2017, Imperatori lost a seat in Rebellion Racing but remained with Falken Motorsports in the VLN Endurance Series. He also traveled to Australia to participate for the first time at Bathurst 12 Hour race, driving Porsche for Grove Motorsport. He didn't finish the race at famous Mount Panorama.

In 2018, he had commitments all over the world with different teams, spending most of the time with KCMG in the Blancpain GT Series Asia and with Falken Motorsports in the VLN endurance series. He continues with a similar programme in 2019.

Photos: alexandreimperatori.com,