Schumacher Continues With Alpine In WEC

Mick Schumacher was confirmed as one of Alpine's six factory drivers for the 2025 WEC season

Mick Schumacher will stay with the Alpine Hypercar squad in the World Endurance Championship for a second season in 2025.

The former Haas Formula 1 racer has been named together with five other drivers in the entire line-up for the two Signatech-run Alpine A424 LMDhs next season.

Frederic Makowiecki joins Alpine’s roster following his departure from Porsche after 11 seasons, while reserve driver Jules Gounon moves up to a full-time racing seat after making four race appearances with the Renault brand in 2024.

They are replacements for Matthieu Vaxiviere, who has exited the Hypercar class line-up having been on Alpine’s books since 2021, and Nicolas Lapierre, who retired as a driver following the Fuji WEC race in September to become sporting director of the team.

The confirmation of Schumacher, along with those of Charles Milesi, Ferdinand Habsburg and Paul-Loup Chatin, follows his unwillingness to commit to a second season of WEC while the prospect of a return to F1 remained.

The 25-year-old German, who will quit his Mercedes F1 reserve duty at the end of 2024, said: “I am delighted that I will continue to be part of the Alpine Endurance adventure.

"We had a terrific first year together, and I am keen to assist guarantee that the performance of the programme is even greater in the second year.

“We have defined a few points where we want to attack, so I'm really looking forward to my second endurance season.”

Makowiecki will stay in the WEC’s Hypercar class having been part of the factory Porsche crew for the last two seasons.

The Frenchman, 44, stated after his departure from Porsche that he had conveyed his wish to go to pursue what he termed as a “fresh challenge” before Porsche Penske Motorsport's decision to cut down its full-time driving staff to two drivers per vehicle.

Makowiecki remarked that he was “extremely proud” to join Alpine.

“It's something special to represent a French manufacturer in the WEC with the possibility of aiming for an overall victory in the Le Mans 24 Hours, especially as Alpine has a vibrant motorsport history,” he stated.

“I truly liked the team's approach and development: Alpine improved and excelled in its first season against very tough competition.

“I’m joining humbly, but I want to contribute to the team considerably."

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Gounon, 29, will move into a full-time seat at Alpine despite having a year remaining to run on his contract with Mercedes, whose GT lineup he has been a part of since 2021.

“I’m genuinely happy to become a full-time driver thanks to Alpine's confidence,” he stated.

Bruno Famin, vice president of motorsport at Alpine added: “We have selected talented drivers who are not only fast but also have an exemplary analytical capacity and mindset.

“Each brings a unique potential, with a single ambition: to improve the team and the A424 as much as possible.

“We have formed a strong, close-knit group to build on the foundations of our first campaign, and the devotion of our drivers, along with their skill, will help us to rise to the difficulties that await us in the 2025 season."

He stated that Makowiecki had been invited into the squad for his “experience, feedback and race craft”.

Alpine is yet to specify how the six drivers will line up across the two vehicles.