The tire damage at Mick Schumacher in the last third of the racing cost more time than Alpine had behind. It was the best appearance since the beginning of the WEC program.
“The tire damage cost us a total of 23 seconds.” -Philippe Sinault, team leader of the Signatech team, speaks to “Motorsport-Total.com” without pronouncing it directly: The Alpine A424 #36 by Mick Schumacher, Frederic Makowiecki and Jules Gounon would probably have won the 6 hours of Spa-Francorchamps.
The deficit at the finish on the victorious Ferrari #51 (Pier Guidi/Calado/Giovinazzi) was only 5.148 seconds – and on the second -placed Ferrari #50 (Fuoco/Molina/Nielsen), which had to save against racing fuel, even only 0.919 seconds.
The decisive scene took place 83 minutes before the end: Mick Schumacher had to go to the box prematurely because the right rear tire lost air. From the outside it looked as if Alpine was out of the fight for victory. But internally it was clear: Ultimately, it was only a preferred splash -and -dash, which all other hypercars – with the exception of Ferrari #50 – still had to complete.
Nevertheless, the early stop meant a clear handicap, as Sinault explains: “Not really that the race was lost – but it was immediately clear to us that we would lose time. Because we had to get Mick in earlier, his car was heavier, he drove with a full tank.” In addition, the loss of time due to the tire change was added.
Makowiecki more reserved: “Probably second place”
Mick Schumacher was not available for interviews after the race, but Frederic Makowiecki, who had laid the foundation stone with a strong double in the initial phase (more on this in the coming days), ordered the race from a driver’s point of view.
“On the one hand, I am of course disappointed, on the other hand, proud of the team,” says the Frenchman. “We understand our car better and work more and more efficiently. Of course we have a very strong opponent with Ferrari, but I’m proud of what we have achieved.”
Makowiecki joined the Alpine project in early 2025 and felt comfortable right from the start. The A424 with oreca chassis is considered to be more good-natured than the Porsche 963 with a multimatic basis, which drives a little pointed. In his third race for Alpine, he delivered one of the best performance of his career.
In contrast to Sinault, Makowiecki was still reserved after the end of the race, as far as possible victory – the final team briefing was still out of this time: “We would have been second, but it would have been a close duel for victory. In the end we got a podium.”
And further: “If we attacked more, Ferrari could also grow. I think we had the better consistency, but they were minimally better with the pure pace.”
For hours of duel with Ferrari
In fact, a high -class duel between the Alpine #36 and the two Ferrari 499p developed over long distances of the race. After the first driver change, Jules Gounon took the lead in the meantime. But Ferrari countered under the pit stop under virtual safety car when both 499p changed two tires less than alpine.
Afterwards Ferrari played a clever strategic game: Alessandro Pier Guidi employed Mick Schumacher in direct duel, while Robin Frijns also interfered in the BMW #20 (Rast/Frijns). As a result, Antonio Fuoco was able to drive out a small lead of around Aacht seconds in the Ferrari #50 at the top.
How the different strategies for fuel consumption ultimately had an impact is hypothetical. The fact is, however, that the tire damage at Mick Schumacher cost Alpine around 23 seconds according to his own account.
Even with conservative calculation, the deficit to Ferrari #51 could have been catchy up. However, Mick Schumacher naturally also had a lot of free travel that he did not have in direct duel.