Alpine Faces Confusion Over Issues After Le Mans Practice Crash

Alpine left the first full day of Le Mans week with more questions than answers as its A424 Hypercars struggled to repeat their promising test performance. After a strong showing on Sunday’s test day at Circuit de la Sarthe, both the #36 and #35 machines made it through the first qualifying session and placed themselves in a good spot for Hyperpole.

Even so, the team felt a dip in pace as free practice began on Wednesday, with drivers noting that the car did not behave as expected. Frédéric Makowiecki, sharing the #36 entry with Mick Schumacher and Jules Gounon, explained that certain changes to the car’s setup did not deliver improved results.

He commented that Alpine was struggling to pinpoint whether shifts in temperature, track evolution, or other factors caused the surprise drop-off in performance. Makowiecki described the day as far from smooth, highlighting that adjustments aimed at improving the car’s handling over the track’s bumpy sections were not as effective as during previous outings.

While Alpine engineers had made “some changes,” the French team expected better outcomes, having collected meaningful data during previous tests. Instead, the feedback was mixed and forced the team to search for missing answers in their setup and data interpretation.

Makowiecki made it clear that, given the tight Le Mans schedule, Alpine needed to act quickly to restore the confidence and pace shown in earlier sessions. Team principal Philippe Sinault summarized the progress Alpine had made with the A424 since last year, noting greater understanding of the car’s setup, tires, software, and electronics.

Over the past twelve months, the crew has completed numerous simulations and worked on traction control, sensor calibration, and every baseline aspect. Despite these efforts, a complete answer to the car’s performance issues remained out of reach as the event’s key practice and qualifying sessions unfolded.

Long runs during test day had brought optimism, but that confidence faded as the week progressed and the focus for most teams shifted to qualifying pace. Alpine’s drivers said it was hard to judge the outright pecking order until the race itself, given how most teams were now locking in their single-lap speed for the Hyperpole session.

According to Makowiecki, Alpine “had strong long runs during Test Day, and now we don’t,” which pointed to a step backwards at a critical time. With only Thursday’s sessions left to fine-tune their approach before the 24-hour race, Alpine’s strategy now relies on getting the basics right and avoiding errors.

Sinault emphasized that in a field this close, any slip — even a minor penalty — could ruin a team’s hopes. Staying on the lead lap for the entire event is a priority, as the consequences of falling behind are costly at Le Mans.

The Le Mans 24 Hours has grown even more competitive over recent years, with teams and cars separated by narrow gaps. For Alpine, overcoming this unexpected mid-week setback is essential in the pursuit of a top result.

The team must make the most of Thursday’s track time to rediscover the pace that placed them among the favorites during early testing, giving Makowiecki, Schumacher, and Gounon the best possible chance when the world’s most demanding endurance race begins.