Victor Martins, a Formula 2 race winner, is set to reunite with Alpine in 2026, joining their Hypercar program in the World Endurance Championship (WEC). Martins spent his junior career with Alpine's driving academy, winning the Formula 3 title in 2022. He then raced in F2 under the Alpine umbrella for two seasons (2023-24), before joining Williams last year and making his Formula 1 practice debut at the Spanish Grand Prix. Despite his success, Martins is returning to Alpine in 2026, but in a sportscar racing role. Alpine hasn't disclosed which of their A424 LMDh prototypes Martins will drive, but he will fill one of the two vacancies left by Mick Schumacher and Paul-Loup Chatin. Martins expressed his excitement about the opportunity, highlighting Alpine's strong racing heritage and ambitions in endurance racing. He's eager to contribute to the team's long-term success and compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. This move marks a shift from F2 to sportscar racing for Martins, who won three races and 17 podiums in F2 but couldn't improve on his fifth-place championship finish. However, he has prior experience with the Oreca-based Alpine LMDh, setting the third-quickest time among rookies in the Bahrain post-season test. Alpine's team principal, Philippe Sinault, praised Martins' natural speed, technical understanding, and experience, emphasizing the mutual desire for collaboration. The team has confirmed Antonio Felix da Costa for the #35 A424 and Frederic Makowiecki for the #36 entry, with Chatin and Schumacher departing for other programs. The WEC is set to witness an overhaul of its aero philosophy in 2026, adding to the excitement surrounding Martins' return to Alpine.
