Alpine’s F1 misfortunes carry over to Le Mans with early race catastrophes

Alpine’s closed up garage at the 2024 Le Mans 24 Hours following a double retirement.

Both Alpine hypercars retired from the Le Mans 24 Hours over the course of a single hour as engine issues curtailed their attempt at the famous endurance race.

With Alpine’s F1 team struggling for performance in 2024, the French marque was hopeful of a strong showing in the Hypercar category at the Le Mans 24 Hours.

Alpine suffers engine issues that curtail Le Mans 24 Hours

With less than five hours completed at the Circuit de la Sarthe, Alpine lost the first of their cars as Ferdinand Habsburg pulled over at Arnage with a mechanical failure.

Running in 16th at the time, the #35 car was the first high-profile retirement of the race, with the entry shared with French driver Paul-Loup Chatini and Charles Milesi.

Not even an hour later, Nicolas Lapierre pulled the #36 car into the garage after suffering a loss of power on the other Hypercar – the entry shared with Mick Schumacher and Matthieu Vaxiviere.

The retirement brought to a close Alpine’s attempt at the Le Mans 24 Hours just a quarter of the way through the endurance event.

Frustratingly for the team, the car had shown good pace through practice and qualifying, with the #35 having secured fifth on the grid and qualifying for Hyperpole.

“We can confirm both car #35 and car #36 are out of the race due to a suspected engine issue,” Alpine wrote on social media following the end of their event.

“This is the team’s first year in the Hypercar category at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which we knew from the start would be a steep learning curve.

“We will further investigate the issue and we will come back stronger and more determined next year in Le Mans. The car showed good pace to make Hyperpole in Qualifying, we had a good race start and this gives us encouragement for the future.”

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Alpine team boss Philippe Sinault admitted the team had been aware unreliability could rear its head as Alpine showed up to Le Mans with adapted and revised Mecachrome engines – the same architecture as used in Formula 2.

“The double retirement is cruel, even if we knew reliability could be an issue,” said Sinault, as quoted by DailySportscar.

“Despite all the testing and simulations, only the truth of the race matters. Our start to the season had shown us some great things, so it’s all the more disappointing and disconcerting to retire so early.

“But we have to take the positives and keep moving forward. This week we have had confirmation that our car is fast.

“We must keep working to pick ourselves up and make progress, although the whole team is suffering tonight.”

With Lapierre emphasising that Alpine’s debut Le Mans 24 Hours was merely to serve as a steep learning curve, with the A424 taking part at the famous endurance event in only its fourth race, Alpine’s VP of motorsports and F1 team boss Bruno Damin thanked his team for their efforts.

“We knew that this debut 24 Hours of Le Mans would be a steep learning curve, even more so for only the A424’s fourth race. But that doesn’t change our disappointment,” he said.

“We will analyse the reasons for this mechanical problem so that we can come back stronger next year. Our car showed good form throughout the week, so we have strong foundations to improve.

“I want to thank everyone for their commitment, but motorsport is cruel. That’s why victory is sweeter when it happens.

“Seeing the tears and the disappointed faces this evening, I am convinced we will make Alpine Endurance Team a squad capable of fighting for podiums and wins.”