Habsburg confident Alpine can ‘become an even greater force’ in 2025
Buoyed by a strong finish to the squad’s 2024 season, Ferdinand Habsburg believes Alpine Endurance Team can be ‘an even greater force to be reckoned with’ in the FIA World Endurance Championship’s headlining Hypercar category next year.
The Alpine A424 concluded its maiden campaign in the series with a breakthrough podium finish in Japan and further top five results in Texas and Bahrain, enabling the French outfit to beat BMW and Peugeot to fourth in the final Manufacturers’ standings and ‘best of the rest’ bragging rights.
Habsburg played a key role in the team’s success, and despite missing two races due to injury, the Austrian – FIA WEC LMP2 champion and a class-winner in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2021 alongside current team-mate, Charles Milesi – ended up as Alpine’s highest-placed driver in the overall classification in 2024 in 11th place. Now, he is aiming to crack the top ten.
“It’s exciting to be back with the iconic Alpine brand as it continues its return to the pinnacle of endurance racing – a place in motorsport where it truly belongs,” Habsburg enthused. “Our first season with Alpine was about building relationships and trust between the drivers, mechanics and engineers. Establishing that connection was key, and I believe if we continue to strengthen those bonds, we’ll become an even greater force to be reckoned with.
“The car itself is inherently strong, and now it’s about ensuring the team continues to gel and work together like a family, just as we’ve been doing in 2024. If we keep that momentum, I’m confident we can achieve even more in the future.”
The 27-year-old was confirmed last month as one of Alpine’s six drivers for next year alongside fellow returnees Charles Milesi, Paul-Loup Chatin, Mick Schumacher and Jules Gounon, plus Frédéric Makowiecki, who joins the programme from Porsche. Alpine Motorsports Vice-President Bruno Famin believes it is a potent line-up.
“We have selected talented drivers who are not only fast but also have an exemplary analytical capacity and mindset,” the Frenchman explained. “Each has a single ambition – to improve the team and the A424 as much as possible. We have established a strong, close-knit group to build upon the foundations of our first campaign, and the commitment of our drivers, coupled with their talent, will allow us to rise to the challenges that await us in 2025.”
