Alpine claimed its first World Endurance Championship victory in the WEC Fuji race as Charles Milesi, Paul-Loup Chatin, and Ferdinand Habsburg brought the A424 LMDh to the top of the podium. The dramatic 6 Hours of Fuji on September 10 saw Alpine achieve this milestone amid multiple safety interventions and strategic pit stops, highlighting their breakthrough in the WEC Fuji Alpine victory campaign.
Key Moments and Strategy Behind Alpine’s Triumph
The #35 Alpine A424 crossed the line 7.6 seconds ahead of the #93 Peugeot 9X8 2024 Le Mans Hypercar, piloted by Mikkel Jensen, Paul di Resta, and Jean-Eric Vergne. Throughout the race, seven interruptions—including three safety car periods and five Full Course Yellows (FCYs)—added turmoil and required strategic adaptability from all the teams.
Charles Milesi’s decisive move came during the final pitstop cycle. Opting to change only two tires rather than four, as done by the leading Peugeot and the second-placed Penske Porsche 963 LMDh of Kevin Estre and Laurens Vanthoor, allowed Milesi to leap from third to first. After the stops, Milesi held a lead of nearly eight seconds, which he extended to 11 seconds in the final hour, proving critical in securing Alpine’s first win since its A480 LMP1 victory at Monza in July 2022.
Early setbacks challenged Alpine’s hopes as Ferdinand Habsburg received a penalty for lightly contacting the rear of the #8 Toyota GR010 HYBRID LMH. This incident also forced Alpine to replace the car’s nose during the initial pitstops. Despite this, strategic timing of the second pitstop by Paul-Loup Chatin, who pitted just moments before the second FCY with two and a half hours remaining, positioned Alpine advantageously when most Hypercars reduced speed to 80 km/h. The subsequent FCY transformed into a full safety car, allowing Alpine to gain significant ground.
Porsche and Peugeot Fight for Podium Finishes Amid Penalties
After the race resumed, Chatin briefly ran second behind the Peugeot before being challenged and overtaken by Kevin Estre’s Porsche in the closing stages. However, the Penske Porsche #6 incurred a 5-second penalty for a pitstop infringement, dropping it to third in the final hour. Laurens Vanthoor closely followed race leader Mikkel Jensen and grabbed the final podium spot, finishing just half a second behind.
The other Penske Porsche, shared by Mathieu Jaminet and Julien Andlauer, secured fourth place, contributing valuable manufacturer points for Porsche. These points kept Porsche’s championship hopes alive as they head toward the final round in Bahrain in November.
Ferrari Faces Setbacks Despite Leading Standings
Despite leading the manufacturers’ and drivers’ championships, Ferrari had a difficult day at Fuji. The #51 AF Corse Ferrari 499P, driven by Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado, and Antonio Giovinazzi, managed only 11th place, gaining a single point. The team’s race was marred early after contact with a Proton Competition Porsche, along with two penalties for track limit violations, significantly hampering their chances to score higher.
Performance of Other Contenders in the Gritty Fuji Race
Stoffel Vandoorne, sharing the second Peugeot with Loic Duval and Malthe Jakobsen, made a strong late charge to finish fifth. Aston Martin, after an inconsistent race with its Valkyrie LMH cars, earned sixth position through the #009 entry driven by Marco Sorensen and Alex Riberas. Meanwhile, Jota’s Cadillac team took seventh place via the #12 V-Series.R LMDh, shared by pole-sitter Alex Lynn along with Will Stevens and Norman Nato.
The Jota Cadillacs had dominated the opening laps, with Stevens leading the early stages before Sebastien Bourdais, Jenson Button, and Earl Bamber took turns in the sister car. However, the field bunching from safety cars eroded their advantage, resulting in faded contention through the later phases.
Midfield and GT3 Competitors Battle for Positions
Toyota’s #7 GR010 HYBRID LMH, driven by Kamui Kobayashi, Nyck de Vries, and Mike Conway, finished eighth, followed by the #20 WRT BMW M Hybrid V8 LMDh with Robin Frijns, Rene Rast, and Sheldon van der Linde in ninth. The customer AF Ferrari #83, piloted by Le Mans winners Robert Kubica, Yifei Ye, and Phil Hanson, moved closer to the championship leaders by finishing tenth.
In the LMGT3 class, TF Sport’s Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R, with Charlie Eastwood, Rui Andrade, and Tom van Rompuy behind the wheel, claimed class victory. They finished just two seconds behind the #21 AF Ferrari 296 GT3. However, a 5-second penalty for a pitstop infringement dropped the Ferrari to second place in class, underscoring the fine margins and tight competition in GT3 racing.
Implications for the Championship and Upcoming Rounds
Alpine’s breakthrough WEC Fuji Alpine victory shakes up the balance in the LMDh category, signaling their rising competitiveness in a fiercely contested field. Porsche’s continued consistency ensures the manufacturers’ championship battle remains unresolved heading into Bahrain’s finale. Ferrari’s trouble-filled day injects tension as they defend their current lead, underscoring how penalties and contact incidents continue to affect outcomes critically in endurance races.
With multiple teams jockeying for position after Fuji, the final rounds promise intense rivalries and strategic gambits. Alpine’s win not only marks a historic milestone for the team but also reshapes the championship landscape, setting the stage for a dramatic conclusion to the 2024 World Endurance Championship season.
