Ferdinand Habsburg (Alpine): "I just had a great time."

Having set the fastest qualifying time for the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans, Ferdinand Habsburg was ecstatic on Wednesday evening, even though he knows that his time is only of symbolic value.

The smile that spanned Ferdinand Habsburg's face was evident as he stepped down from his Alpine A424 at the end of the qualifying rounds 24 Hours of Le Mans 2026. This Wednesday evening, the Austrian set the fastest time, which allows Alpine to position herself as the favorite for the Hyperpole scheduled for Thursday at 21:05 PM. 

"It was so much fun"Ferdinand Habsburg told us. Every lap I did was really good! You never really know where you're going to gain time, but it's still possible. Le Mans has this rhythm that I really enjoy. The team gave me a good opportunity to practice for qualifying during Free Practice 1.

I just had a fantastic time. When I was taking the turns PorscheBetween the first right-hander and the second left-hander, there's a very short left-hand bend. But in my mind, it felt long enough for me to think, "Wow, that was so cool." I was really hoping to set the fastest time, and I did. I'm really grateful to the guys who chose the right setup and put me in a good position.

Gounon and Félix Da Costa for Hyperpole

Thursday, Alpine will rely on two drivers for the Hyperpole session, as indicated by Ferdinand Habsburg.  Alpine which is also competing in its last 24 Hours of Le Mans, the French manufacturer having announced its withdrawal from the World Championship.Endurance (WEC) at the end of the 2026 season.

“In Hyperpole, Jules (Gounon, on number 36) and Antonio (Félix Da Costa, on n°35) They'll do a fantastic job tomorrow (Thursday night). They're so fast. I know how great they are! I know they have a good chance of succeeding with a good setup.

Is it possible to reproduce the same performance on Thursday to clinch pole position? “Of course. They are great drivers. They teach me everything! If they are the teachers, I know they can do it. But it doesn't matter. The 24 Hours of Le Mans isn't decided in qualifying. Only the race counts.” Before concluding, astonished: "But it's always so wonderful to be at Le Mans, alone on the road, with little fuel and new tires. I had a blast!"

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