A fixture on the FIA World Endurance Championship calendar since 2012, the Belgian round is among the most popular and anticipated races for competitors and spectators. Often cited as one of the most spectacular and demanding circuits in the world, its elevation changes and technical corners emphasise set-up finesse and driving precision. The challenge increases with unpredictable weather, but Alpine Endurance Team can rely on its experience to try to overcome such obstacles.
Since its maiden entry on the Belgian circuit in 1958, Alpine has achieved several milestones in its modern endurance programme, notably the A450b’s first points in the FIA WEC in 2015 and the A480’s first LMP1 podium in 2022. More recently, the ‘toboggan of the Ardennes’ witnessed the Alpine A424 secure its first Hyperpole qualification with Charles Milesi in its debut campaign in 2024. A year later, the Alpine prototype did even better, battling for victory for the first time before finishing on the podium with Frédéric Makowiecki, Jules Gounon and Mick Schumacher in front of nearly 100,000 spectators.
After Imola, the French team continued its extensive work to unlock the A424’s full potential in its 2026 configuration. However, Alpine Endurance Team humbly approaches the race, aware that the stakes are twofold as this is also the final dry run before the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
As always, the team and its drivers will strive to identify new areas for improvement in the extremely competitive top-tier Hypercar category. António Félix da Costa, Charles Milesi, and Ferdinand Habsburg have all previously won at Spa-Francorchamps and will be keen to build on their strong form in the #35 car after finishing just off the podium in Italy. Their teammates in the #36 car are Frédéric Makowiecki, Jules Gounon and Victor Martins. They will aim to repeat the solid pace shown in Emilia-Romagna and strive for a flawless performance as they have seen just how crucial every detail is, both operationally and strategically.
Thursday opens with two 90-minute free practice sessions. On Friday, a one-hour session leads into qualifying and Hyperpole. These are extended to 15 and 12 minutes due to the length of the Belgian circuit. The TotalEnergies 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps starts on Saturday at 2 pm.
Axel Plasse, VP Alpine Tech
“Imola demonstrated our car, drivers, and team's true potential. Spa now challenges us to confirm this performance on another track. Succeeding on such a demanding circuit would bode well for the rest of the season and allow us to maximise both cars based on what we learned at Imola.”
Philippe Sinault, Team Principal Alpine Endurance Team
“The TotalEnergies 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps is a unique race. It stands as an event of its own, but our focus will inevitably start to turn to Le Mans. We’re heading there hoping to build on the positive signs from Imola. The start of the season reassured us about the quality of our work this winter, but Spa will really show whether our new package meets even more of our goals. Spa-Francorchamps is especially demanding on tyres, with fast corners, high grip and unpredictable weather. Imola showed how quickly any error or incident can put us out of contention, given the narrow gaps. The penalty for the #36 car and the two places lost by the #35 car after being held up by a GT car in the pits are clear reminders. We are approaching this event with humility and clarity. We aim to keep improving and gain more confidence in the various Michelin tyre compounds. This will be a highly representative test. The team is well prepared, fully committed and ready to get up to speed with the 24 Hours of Le Mans in sight.”
Timetable (CEST)
Thursday 7 May
11:00-12:30: Free Practice 1
15:40-17:10: Free Practice 2
Friday 8 May
10:10-11:10: Free Practice 3
15:20-15:35: Hypercar Qualifying
15:45-15:57: Hypercar Hyperpole
Saturday 9 May
14:00-20:00: TotalEnergies 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps
