Mick Schumacher will proceed with the Alpine Hypercar squad within the World Endurance Championship for a second season in 2025.
The previous Haas Formulation 1 racer has been introduced together with 5 different drivers within the full line-up for the 2 Signatech-run Alpine A424 LMDhs subsequent season.
Frederic Makowiecki joins Alpine’s roster following his departure from Porsche after 11 seasons, whereas reserve driver Jules Gounon strikes as much as a full-time race seat after making 4 race appearances with the Renault model in 2024.
They’re replacements for Matthieu Vaxiviere, who has departed the Hypercar class line-up having been on Alpine’s books since 2021, and Nicolas Lapierre, who retired as a driver after the Fuji WEC spherical in September to develop into sporting director of the group.
The affirmation of Schumacher, together with that of Charles Milesi, Ferdinand Habsburg and Paul-Loup Chatin, follows his refusal to decide to a second season of WEC whereas the potential for a return to F1 remained.
The 25-year-old German, who will depart his Mercedes F1 reserve function on the finish of 2024, mentioned: “I’m delighted that I’ll proceed to be a part of the Alpine Endurance journey.
“We had an ideal first 12 months collectively, and I’m decided to assist be sure that the efficiency of the programme is even higher within the second 12 months.
#36 Alpine Endurance Group Alpine A424: Jules Gounon, Nicolas Lapierre
Picture by: Shameem Fahath
“We’ve got outlined a couple of factors the place we need to assault, so I am actually trying ahead to my second endurance season.”
Makowiecki will stay within the WEC’s Hypercar division having been a part of the manufacturing facility Porsche squad for the previous two seasons.
The Frenchman, 44, insisted after his departure from Porsche that he had communicated his want to go away to hunt what he described as a “contemporary problem” earlier than Porsche Penske Motorsport’s determination to slim down its full-time driving crew to 2 drivers per automobile.
Makowiecki revealed that he was “extraordinarily proud” to hitch Alpine.
“It is one thing particular to signify a French producer within the WEC with the potential for aiming for an total victory within the Le Mans 24 Hours, particularly as Alpine has a vibrant motorsport historical past,” he mentioned.
“I actually appreciated the group’s method and improvement: Alpine improved and excelled in its first season in opposition to very powerful competitors.
“I’m becoming a member of humbly, however I need to contribute to the group considerably.”
#5 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963: Frederic Makowiecki
Picture by: JEP / Motorsport Photos
Gounon, 29, will transfer right into a full-time seat at Alpine regardless of having a 12 months left to run on his contract at Mercedes, whose GT roster he has been part of since 2021.
“I’m genuinely pleased to develop into a full-time driver because of Alpine’s confidence,” he mentioned.
Bruno Famin, vp of motorsport at Alpine added: “We’ve got chosen gifted drivers who usually are not solely quick but in addition have an exemplary analytical capability and mindset.
“Every brings a novel potential, with a single ambition: to enhance the group and the A424 as a lot as potential.
“We’ve got constructed a powerful, close-knit group to construct on the foundations of our first marketing campaign, and the dedication of our drivers, coupled with their expertise, will enable us to rise to the challenges that await us within the 2025 season.”
He added that Makowiecki had been introduced into the group for his “expertise, suggestions and race craft”.
Alpine has but to disclose how the six drivers will line up throughout the 2 automobiles.
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