First WEC podium for Alpine Hypercar
Alpine impressed at the Fuji 6 Hours. While the #35 was hit by bad luck and suffered a painful end to the race, the sister car sent out a strong message. Mick Schumacher managed perfectly to give the brand its first podium with the A424.
Let’s start with the things that upset. What a disappointment for #35. After very good qualifications, great things were possible for this blue car. Although jostled at the start, Ferdinand Habsburg showed his talent in holding off other cars.
But at the beginning of the second lap, Robert Kubica’s Ferrari #83 made a strike at the first corner. The Alpine #35 was one of the collateral victims. Even though it wasn’t hit, it lost considerable time having to avoid the debris and other cars in distress.
A penalty that ruins everything for the #35
Throughout the race, this Hypercar has not stopped displaying a crazy pace to climb up the hierarchy. If scoring points was conceivable, hopes only increased lap after lap. Top 8 then Top 5 and finally podium.
The third place was held by Charles Milesi with half an hour to go. But the Frenchman received a drive-through penalty for causing contact with a Corvette. The GT3 car spun out. This dropped him down to tenth place.
The crazy pace of Mick Schumacher
If all eyes were on the #35, the other car should not have been forgotten. The #36 clearly increased its pace to turn a second faster per lap. The opponents were being taken one by one. And with a stroke of luck, the penalty for the Toyota #8 allowed Mick Schumacher’s car to propel itself onto the podium.
A position that the former Haas F1 driver managed to hold until the checkered flag. After the disappointment of Le Mans with the double retirement, Alpine is showing magnificent form at the end of this season. In Austin, the French brand placed both of its Hypercars in the points. The same in Fuji. But with a podium finish this time. It is the first for Philippe Sinault’s men since returning to the top category of the World Endurance Championship.
This result will have significant consequences on the standings. The two Alpines are going to make a big leap forward. The #36 had only three points. While Charles Milesi, the only man from the other car to have participated in all the races, had only 21 points.
