Alpine claims its very first victory with the A424 in Japan.
Photo: FIA WEC
In a truly dramatic, carbon-breaking six-hour race at Fuji, it was the Alpine team that came out on top. For the French manufacturer, this marks their very first win with the A424. Behind the wheel, the driving duties were shared by Ferdinand Habsburg, Charles Milesi, and Paul-Loup Chatin.
It was a symbolic French double on the podium, as the #93 Peugeot joined the winning Alpine in second place. Completing the top three was the #6 Porsche.
“This means everything. Holding this trophy has been in my dreams for quite some time.
“It’s the coolest thing to win a race with two of your best friends in the paddock. Charles and Paul-Loup are not only some of the best drivers, but also the best people that I know. For me, it’s been a long path from breaking my back last year, missing races and struggling to get back up to speed. They have motivated me so much through my own mistakes and moments when I was not doing so well." Said Habsburg after the race.
For Ferrari, which absolutely dominated at the start of the season, this was not a particularly successful race. Neither of their full factory cars finished inside the top 10, with the best result coming from the semi-factory Ferrari #83, which crossed the line in ninth place.
In the LMGT3 category, the landmark 1000th WEC race was won by TF Sport’s #81 entry. Second place went to the Ferrari Vista AF Corse #21, while the final podium spot was claimed by the BMW #31 of Team WRT.
The WEC season now has only one race remaining: the Six Hours of Bahrain on November 8, where the championship will also be decided. Ferrari #83 currently trails the leading Ferrari #51 by just 12 points.