Victor Martins joins Alpine for the 2026 WEC season

If his dreams of Formula 1 They drifted apart for a time with his departure from the Formula 2Victor Martins didn't take long to bounce back to the top level of world motorsport. The Frenchman will discover theEndurance with Alpine this year after three seasons in F2, two of which were with the support of the French team.

Then the story ended on a bitter note at the end of 2024 after a difficult second year in F2 for the ART GP driver, a collateral victim of the arrival of a new generation of car. Recruited by Williams to join Grove Academy in 2025, he will return in 2026 to Alpine, a WEC this time.

Victor Martins' camp and the A-list had been in discussions for several weeks, as revealed by AUTOhebdo, until they reached an agreement that makes Victor Martins the digital replacement for Mick Schumacher, set off to discover theIndyCarWhile nothing has been officially announced, it seems likely that Martins will take the German driver's place at the wheel of the #36, which will be shared with Jules Gounon and Frédéric Makowiecki to form an all-French crew. As for the #35, the other new recruit, Antonio Félix da Costa, will be partnered with Charles Milesi and Ferdinand Habsburg.

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Martins has already tested the A424

For Victor Martins, joining Alpine This is a dream opportunity to continue at the highest level, especially since he was also exploring opportunities in the United States to join IndyCar. Meanwhile, Philippe Sinault's team also spoke with several other drivers, including Nick Tandy and Kévin Estre, but both men pledged their loyalty to Porsche despite the discontinuation of the WEC program.

" Join Alpine Competing in the WEC is an important step in my career and a responsibility I take very seriously. Victor Martins announces. « Alpine is a brand with a strong heritage in motorsport and clear ambitions at the highest level of endurance racing.

“Participating in my first edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans "Working with this team is a huge motivation, and I look forward to working closely with everyone to improve performance, strengthen consistency, and contribute to the long-term success of the program."

After an initial test in the A424 in Bahrain at the end of 2024, the former ART GP driver will be back behind the wheel of the prototype that first triumphed at Fuji last September. He will be tasked with trying to bring it back to the top step of the podium, especially since the #36 has yet to experience that victory. Victor Martins' racing debut with his new team is scheduled for the 1812 km Qatar Rally on March 28, a few days after the Prologue (March 22-23).