Back in November, Alpine announced that Mick Schumacher will be part of their driver line-up in the 2024 World Endurance Championship in its factory LMDh programme.
After losing his Haas F1 seat at the end of 2022, Schumacher took up a position as a Mercedes reserve driver and didn’t race in 2023. The German Driver will combine those responsibilities with a complete WEC campaign.
Photo Credit: Alpine
Vice President of Alpine Motorsport Bruno Famin and Alpine Endurance Team Principal Philippe Sinault talked with dailysportscar,
Famin shed light on how the collaboration with Schumacher materialised, emphasising the personal and manual nature of the process.
“Talking in the F1 paddock with Mick Schumacher, when you identify an opportunity to have him in the team, for sure you try to work on that and Mick finally agreed to join the Alpine Endurance team.
“There is not a huge industrial process. It’s a very human and manual process. This is how we work.”
Philippe Sinault expanded on the selection criteria.
“It’s an Alpine ‘DNA’ selection, we based and focused on the data and performance. But the mindset is a key point. So we met, especially the newcomers for a long time to talk with them about the project. That too was part of the selection.”
Not only is Mick Schumacher the only driver without endurance experience in their line-up, but he is also the only driver who has raced in Formula One.
When asked about how this unique career can help Alpine, Bruno Famin expressed confidence in Schumacher’s capabilities.
“What he can bring to the team is his experience of the very very high level of competition of course.
“Having Mick bringing his experience to a very high level. He is still a Mercedes reserve driver and he has a very long and a good experience of what is a top-level Formula One team. He has two full seasons with Haas and he will bring us some ideas and methodologies to help put the bar higher for sure – which is what we want.
“I think he’s a very, very clever guy, a very well educated guy. And I have absolutely no doubt about his capacity to share the car with his teammates.
“I’m convinced that in Formula One he is underestimated. Because I think he’s a very good driver, a very fast driver. Don’t forget he has been the Formula Two Champion and Formula Three champion.
“He has a lot of very good skills and having the opportunity to have such a fast and good driver. I don’t see why we would have missed it.”
Photo Credit: Alpine
The relationship Schumacher has with Alpine and Mercedes is not unique in endurance categories. The expansive calendar allows the drivers to compete in multiple categories at the same time.
Addressing concerns about potential conflicts with Schumacher’s Mercedes commitment, Famin clarified that the German would race in F1 if Hamilton or Russell could not race for whatever reason.
“The contract is clear, the agreement with Mick is clear, if he has the opportunity to drive in Formula One to replace George or Lewis, he will go to Formula One.
“A reserve driver will be known in due time. We will have one. From among the Alpine Endurance family if we have a problem, we will find easily a reserve driver.”
Despite Alpine’s financial struggles, the expansion into WEC came as a surprise to motorsport enthusiasts. Famin assured that the new venture would not pose challenges, noting that the communication between Formula One and endurance programs is separate.
“There is no direct communication between Formula One and the endurance programmes. Of course, if we have a specific point or problem to solve, we will share information of course if needed but it’s two different groups of people.
“The size of the endurance programme is not comparable at all with the size of the Formula One programme, it’s almost one to 10 the ratio in terms of resources.
“There is no problem in having the two projects together. Thanks to the LMDH regulations and for the time being it works quite well.”
