Alpine has confirmed its 2025 World Endurance Championship (WEC) driver line-up, with Mick Schumacher set to partner Frédéric Makowiecki and Jules Gounon in the #36 Alpine A424 LMDh.
This marks a significant change for Schumacher, who will have two new full-season team-mates for his second year in endurance racing. In 2024, he shared the car with Nicolas Lapierre and Matthieu Vaxiviere, but both have now moved into different roles—Lapierre as Sporting Director and Vaxiviere as reserve driver for Alpine’s Signatech-run Hypercar squad.
New Faces, Fresh Challenge
Schumacher’s return was confirmed last November, but at the time, he was keeping his options open in case an F1 opportunity arose.
His new team-mate, Makowiecki, joins from Porsche, where he competed in Hypercar during the 2023-24 WEC season. The Frenchman described his switch to Alpine as the “new challenge” he needed.
Meanwhile, Gounon secures a full-time seat after serving as Alpine’s reserve driver last year. He made four WEC appearances in 2024 and impressed the team with his technical feedback and adaptability.
Alpine’s Stability Plan for 2025
Alpine’s #35 car will retain its 2024 driver trio of Charles Milesi, Ferdinand Habsburg, and Paul-Loup Chatin. The decision to maintain continuity in one car while introducing fresh talent to the other was a deliberate move, according to Signatech team principal Philippe Sinault.
“We felt it was crucial to build on the strong foundations we had laid,” Sinault said. “Charles, Ferdinand, Mick, and Paul-Loup have made huge contributions to this project. Their dedication has been invaluable.”
Regarding Gounon’s promotion, Sinault added: “His GT experience has already proven beneficial to our Hypercar programme, so we were keen to integrate him into the full race team.”
Lapierre also praised Makowiecki’s technical expertise, noting that his knowledge of prototype development will be essential for Alpine’s next phase.
Alpine Aiming for More Success in 2025
Alpine’s A424 prototype showed promise in 2024, securing its first WEC podium at Fuji with Schumacher, Lapierre, and Vaxiviere. Later, in the season finale at Bahrain, the sister car of Gounon, Habsburg, and Chatin finished fourth, helping Alpine clinch fourth place in the manufacturers’ standings.
With a mix of continuity and fresh talent, Alpine aims to build on last year’s progress and fight for more podiums in the 2025 season.
