The pilots Alpine Regarding the 24 Hours of Le Mans: "We want to win this race"

At the time of the weigh-in, the pilots Alpine They gave their first impressions before the big week at Le Mans. Between a new aerodynamic package still to be confirmed, the last season of the program in the background, and the undiminished ambition to fight for victory, the words rang true.

There's something special about the pilots' voices Alpine at the Weighing of 24 Hours of Le Mans This year. No feigned excitement, no rehearsed speeches. Just drivers who know what they're doing, what they're experiencing, and what this week represents — perhaps the last one all together at Le Mans — which they explained to AUTO.hebdoFrédéric Makowiecki sums up the atmosphere well: "When you arrive, there's always this buzz. It's a global event, and especially this build-up throughout the week, which starts at scrutineering and continues to increase. For a driver, it's really something special."

For António Félix da Costa, who shares the number 35 with Charles Milesi and Ferdinand Habsburg, this is his eighth participation at Le Mans — including an LMP2 victory to his name. But this edition has a different feel to it. “I feel it now with a French manufacturer and a French team, many French mechanics and engineers, and I can see how much more special it is for them. It motivates me even more. It feels like we’re at home.”

The Portuguese driver arrives at Le Mans with a lesson learned: at Spa, thirty minutes from the finish, he made a mistake that compromised a podium finish. “I take responsibility for it. There’s a proverb in Portugal that says you only get burned if you play with fire, and we were playing with fire. I’m glad it happened there and not here. I’m definitely arriving at Le Mans as a better driver.”

A package designed for Le Mans

On number 36, Frédéric Makowiecki observes a Alpine which has evolved in the right direction since last season. “Our package this year is a bit more robust, with a wider operational window that allows us to be stronger in more conditions. Last year, we had too narrow a window — sometimes we were doing very well, at other times really struggling.” Charles Milesi shares this diagnosis, emphasizing that the changes made were specifically designed for Le Mans: "On paper, things were going in the right direction. Now we'll have to see how it plays out in practice, but I think we'll be in a better position than last year."

The preparation was thorough: a long-distance test at Motorland in March, followed by two days at Magny-Cours last week to validate the final modifications. The Frenchman in car #35 is clear about the reliability issues that had plagued the car. Alpine two years ago: "We settled them last year. On paper, nothing worries us." "It's still motorsports, so you're never completely safe. But if it happens, it won't be because the engine isn't reliable."

Frédéric Makowiecki gets to the heart of the matter regarding sporting ambition: "The goal in racing isn't necessarily to perform well, it's to win. We've shown a good level since the beginning of the year, but we're struggling to capitalize on it." The Portuguese player, for his part, sets his objective frankly: "We want to win this race. Will we have the pace? We don't know. We've worked very, very hard. If I come home with a top 5 finish, I think we'll have to be satisfied."

The last one, but not differently

The announced end of the program Alpine en WEC The end of 2026 looms over the entire week, but the pilots collectively refuse to let it become a burden. António Félix da Costa is direct: "It's no longer on our minds. We've moved on. There's nothing we can do about it. The way we look at it is that we're fortunate to still be able to have this season with the budget and the tools necessary to perform."

Charles Milesi, for his part, approaches the issue with a particular tenderness for the men and women who make up this team: “I’ve been with Signatech since 2022. I’ve known the engineers and mechanics for almost five years. It will be the end of an era, but these are moments we’ve cherished. And from what we’ve seen in the last few weeks, nothing changes when we arrive in the pit. It feels like we’re here for another ten years.” This might be a sign of a team that's truly ready.

Comments collected by Michaël Duforest, in Le Mans.

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