Alpine trims its Hypercar crews to two drivers for the Fuji 6 Hours, sidelining Antonio Felix da Costa and Fred Makowiecki, to evaluate a format aligned with season’s six‑hour calendar.

Both A424 LMDh entries run with two-driver rosters, a rare mid-season shift. Team principal Philippe Sinault says the plan has been under review since earlier in the campaign.

The move reflects WEC’s 2026 schedule, which concentrates on six-hour events after removing longer races in Qatar and Bahrain. Those distances typically justify three drivers; Fuji offers a clean test for two.

Sinault explains the evaluation began after the Lone Star Le Mans round in Austin on September 6, but extreme heat there discouraged a first trial due to the workload per driver.

Fuji’s cooler conditions provide a controlled environment to measure stint length, recovery, and pit sequencing with fewer cockpit changes. Sinault says engineers and mechanics were briefed concurrently with the driver notification.

The call surprised many given both drivers’ pedigree, as outlined in the team’s earlier rationale in the Alpine drops Felix da Costa coverage.

Both drivers express disappointment, which Sinault acknowledges. Selecting four from six exposes the human side of roster management, even when competitive objectives dictate the final choice.

Line‑ups for Barcelona and Monza remain open. Alpine will decide closer to the events whether to persist with two drivers or revert to the traditional three‑driver format.

The approach tracks patterns set by other manufacturers, notably Porsche and Aston Martin, who have occasionally run two‑driver crews. Benefits include simplified pit stops and a more consistent race rhythm.

Risks remain. Fatigue management, traffic variability, and safety‑car compressions can stretch double‑stint demands. Any delay in a two‑driver crew has fewer opportunities to recover time through fresh pace.

Operational learning from Fuji will inform Alpine’s remaining programme, with further context available in the Fuji WEC racing update and internal debriefs.

The decision also fits Alpine’s wider emphasis on adaptable driver planning across programmes, reflected by ongoing discussions around its F1 pathway and Alpine 2027 F1 lineup outlook.

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Zane Muniz

Zane Muniz writes across NASCAR, IndyCar, F1, IMSA, NHRA, and dirt-racing news. His breaking-news alerts and event previews ensure motorsport fans never miss a lap, drift, or drag-strip showdown.