French manufacturer Alpine has confirmed the six drivers that will compete in its pair of A424 LMDh prototypes in the FIA WEC’s Hypercar class next year.
Alongside former Haas F1 driver Mick Schumacher (click here for separate story), Alpine has employed a quartet of French drivers for the program, with Matthieu Vaxiviere, Nicolas Lapierre, Charles Milesi and Paul Loup Chatin. The final name is Ferdinand Habsburg, the Austrian moving to the team after spending the 2023 WEC season competing against it in LMP2 with WRT.
Like Schumacher, Habsburg is a new face at Alpine and says is thrilled to take on the challenge of racing in the WEC’s top class.
“It’s a step up from anything I’ve experienced in my motor racing career,” he said. “From the day I signed with Alpine, I realized that my childhood dream had come true.
“I immediately felt part of the team at Motorland, although the pressure was palpable for me. Beginning with an endurance format during testing can be difficult to get used to a new environment, but I immediately felt confident. I can’t wait to see what the 2024 season has in store for us, and I’ll give it my all so as not to betray their confidence.”
Chatin, meanwhile, returns to Alpine having won the 2014 ELMS LMP2 title with the Signatech Alpine and claiming a third-place finish in class at Le Mans during that season. Since then he’s become an ELMS LMP2 stalwart with French outfit IDEC Sport, the high point being a title win in 2019. He also won the 2024 IMSA LMP2 championship with PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports.
“I am so pleased to rejoin Alpine in Hypercar for the 2024 season,” he said. “I started my endurance career with Signatech Alpine in 2014, and it’s a team I’ve always followed.
“As a Frenchman, representing a French manufacturer at the highest level of world motorsport is a privilege, especially at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the biggest motor race in the world. It’s why I get up every morning. I sincerely thank the Alpine team for giving me this opportunity, and I can’t wait for the season to begin.”
The inclusion of Lapierre, Milesi and Vaxiviere feels natural, the trio joining as full-time drivers after playing key roles in the car’s testing to this point.
For Lapierre, his longstanding relationship with the French brand continues with this announcement. His record with Alpine includes three memorable Le Mans 24 Hours LMP2 class wins and two WEC titles.
“It’s an ambitious project, and I was quite proud when offered the chance to develop the car,” Lapierre said. “I’m particularly fond of the team. We have enjoyed success, and to return to the Hypercar program is a superb opportunity. We’re facing a new era in endurance racing, with a field more competitive than ever. And to continue to contribute to Alpine’s history and go head-to-head with some of the biggest names in motor racing is exciting.
“We will represent ‘Les Bleus’ and can’t wait to see the fans at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the other races in the championship.”
Alpine has not yet announced how it will divide the six drivers across its two cars. It will reveal that and the livery for the A424 in its debut season at a launch event for the program on February 7.