Components 2 race winner Victor Martins will reunite with Alpine in 2026, becoming a member of its Hypercar programme within the World Endurance Championship.
Martins spent a big a part of his junior profession as a part of Alpine’s driving academy, profitable the Components 3 title on his second try in 2022.
He spent the following two seasons racing in F2 below the Alpine umbrella in 2023-24, earlier than becoming a member of forces with Williams final season and making his Components 1 observe debut on the Spanish Grand Prix.
Nevertheless, after only one yr as a part of the Williams Academy, he’ll return to Alpine in 2026, albeit in a job targeted on sportscar racing.
Whereas the French producer hasn’t revealed which of the 2 A424 LMDh prototypes Martins will drive within the WEC, he’ll basically fill one of many two vacancies attributable to the departures of Mick Schumacher and Paul-Loup Chatin.
“Becoming a member of Alpine Endurance Staff within the FIA World Endurance Championship is a big step in my profession and a duty I take very significantly,” Martins commented. “Alpine is a model with a powerful racing heritage and clear ambitions on the highest degree of endurance racing.
“Competing in my first 24 Hours of Le Mans with this crew is a large motivation, and I’m trying ahead to working carefully with everybody to push efficiency, construct consistency and contribute to the long-term success of the programme.”
#36 Alpine Endurance Staff Alpine A424: Jules Gounon, Victor Martins
Photograph by: Shameem Fahath
Martins makes the swap to sportscar racing after three combined seasons with ART in F2 throughout which he gained three races and scored 17 podiums, however wasn’t capable of enhance on the fifth-place championship end from his rookie yr.
Nevertheless, he already has expertise of the Oreca-based Alpine LMDh, having taken half within the Bahrain post-season check on the finish of 2024 and set the third-quickest time among the many rookies.
“We’re clearly very happy with this collaboration, which represents a powerful and thrilling alternative for the challenge,” mentioned Alpine crew principal Philippe Sinault. “Victor will convey us his pure velocity, but additionally his expertise on the highest degree and his technical understanding, all of which can enable us to proceed progressing collectively.
“Since Victor took half within the 2024 rookie check with the A424, there was a transparent mutual need to work collectively. We share the identical mindset and method, and I’ve little question that his integration into the crew can be swift and that he’ll in a short time be capable to contribute to bettering our general efficiency.”
Up to now, Alpine has solely confirmed that new signing Antonio Felix da Costa to be becoming a member of the #35 A424, whereas Frederic Makowiecki has been listed as returning within the #36 entry.
In 2025, Chatin, Ferdinand Habsburg and Charles Milesi raced the #35 automotive that gained at Fuji, whereas Schumacher, Makowiecki and Guonon piloted the #36 automotive.
Chatin has departed the crew to hitch Genesis’ new Hypercar programme, whereas Schumacher has left WEC altogether to race in IndyCar with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.
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