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Since returning to the top category of endurance racing in 2024, Alpine Endurance Team has methodically progressed through the different phases of its Hypercar programme.
A first podium in its debut season, followed by a landmark victory at the 100th race in WEC history at the 2025 6 Hours of Fuji: the learning phase is now firmly behind the French manufacturer. Heading into 2026, the ambition is clearly stated — to establish itself as a permanent front-runner in an increasingly competitive Hypercar category.
Last week, the Alpine A424 returned to the track at Portimão for a pivotal test session. For the first time, the French LMDh prototype ran in its definitive, now homologated, 2026 specification.
A detail far from insignificant: at this stage, the focus is no longer on major development work, but on fine optimisation, understanding and extracting the maximum potential from a package frozen by the regulations.
Alpine Endurance Team: A targeted off-season, without technical disruption
Throughout the off-season, Alpine Endurance Team focused its efforts on targeted evolutions to the A424, strictly within the framework imposed by homologation. Aerodynamics, mechanical set-up and chassis-to-tyre interaction were central to the work, with the arrival of the new Michelin Pilot Sport Endurance 2026 tyres firmly in sight — a key factor in the competitive hierarchy.
At Portimão, Ferdinand Habsburg, Frédéric Makowiecki and Victor Martins completed a demanding run plan, primarily designed to correlate data and assess the car’s behaviour over long stints. Absolute lap time was not the priority; building a solid and reliable working baseline for the remainder of the preparation was.
This Portuguese outing also carried a strong human and sporting dimension. It marked another step in Victor Martins’ integration into the team. After an initial introduction during the 2024 Rookie Test, the Frenchman experienced the A424 in conditions much closer to race reality, including night running and long sequences, both essential elements in endurance racing.
Run entirely in dry conditions, the session passed without incident and allowed Alpine Endurance Team to cover 1,250 kilometres — a significant mileage at this stage of preparation. Engineers now have a substantial dataset to analyse, particularly regarding the exploitation of the new Michelin compounds, ahead of the next test scheduled for late February at Motorland Aragón.
The 2026 Alpine Endurance Team line-up, also featuring António Félix da Costa, Charles Milesi and Jules Gounon, provides the squad with rare depth, combining top-level experience and complementary profiles — a decisive asset in a discipline where collective consistency remains paramount.
Before getting to the heart of the action with the WEC Prologue at Losail on March 22 and 23, Alpine Endurance Team will unveil the 2026 livery of its A424 along with its driver line-ups during a launch event at the Atelier Alpine Paris on Wednesday, February 18.
They said
Ferdinand Habsburg
“It was really nice to be back behind the wheel and start working with our 2026 package. After our first win together, motivation within the team is stronger than ever.
This test was important to lay solid foundations and better understand the car and the new tyres. The mood is excellent and I already can’t wait to be in Qatar!”
Frédéric Makowiecki
“It was a real pleasure to be back on track with the whole team. For the first time, we were able to run with the 2026 package to understand it in more detail. This test was very productive and we worked well to gather good information, including on the tyres.
The analysis work starts now, with the aim of coming back with new optimisation directions. I’m proud of the commitment of every member of the team and we must keep this momentum.”
Victor Martins
“It was a very special moment to be back behind the wheel of the Alpine A424 and to discover Portimão. I was impressed by the car’s performance, especially in terms of aerodynamic downforce and power.
I really enjoyed seeing the precision it demands, particularly under braking and on corner entry. There is inevitably an adaptation phase, with a lot to learn about the different systems, but the work done was very positive. Ferdinand and Frédéric brought their experience to speed up my integration, help me improve and be ready.
The team is extremely professional, with real passion and big ambitions around the project. That motivates me even more and I can’t wait to keep working with them, whether in the simulator or on track, to be fully ready for the first race in Qatar.”
Philippe Sinault, Team Principal Alpine Endurance Team
“This test was an important step, as it was our first full session with the new package, incorporating the evolutions brought to the A424, as well as the Michelin Pilot Sport Endurance 2026 tyres.
Weather conditions were mild enough and we were able to take advantage of a full dry day to complete our entire programme. Frédéric Makowiecki, Ferdinand Habsburg and Victor Martins were present for this first real working session, focused on aerodynamics, mechanics and above all discovering and exploiting the tyres.
Particular attention was also paid to Victor’s integration, with track time that allowed him to discover the car in different conditions, including at night. In total, we completed 1,250 kilometres rich in information, which we will now analyse in detail, with a particular focus on the new compounds.
We will look to confirm the initial findings during our next session in late February at Motorland Aragón. This was a studious test and the first feedback is rather positive heading into the 2026 season.”
Bruno Famin, Alpine Motorsport Director
“This first session made tangible the work carried out by the Alpine Endurance Team crews to evolve the A424.
We have a good base to refine our package and optimise how we exploit the different compounds. The first feedback is encouraging ahead of our third campaign in the top category.
The objective is clear: we want to keep improving our performance level so we can fight regularly at the front in a field that is more competitive than ever.”
Source: Alpine Endurance Team
