Alpine has confirmed that for this weekend’s Fuji round of the FIA World Endurance Championship, both of its A424 Hypercars will be entered with two-driver lineups, sidelining Antonio Felix da Costa and Frederic Makowiecki.
The French manufacturer announced in a press release on Tuesday evening that Charles Milesi and Ferdinand Habsburg will race the No. 35 car in Japan, while Jules Gounon and Victor Martins will share the sister No. 36 entry.
Although Alpine did not specify its driver plans for the remaining rounds at Barcelona and Monza, Sportscar365 understands that neither da Costa nor Makowiecki will return for the season-ending European races.
This development comes as the Renault-owned brand prepares to withdraw from the WEC at the end of the year, with Chinese automaker Geely strongly linked to a takeover of Signatech, the operation that runs the outfit in recent months.
However, confirmation of the deal has not been forthcoming amid reported complications surrounding a broader deal with the Renault Group concerning road-car production.
Alpine secured its first WEC victory with the A424 in last year’s Fuji race, achieved by Habsburg, Milesi, and Paul-Loup Chatin, who is now racing for Genesis Magma Racing.
Following the first five races of the 2026 campaign, Alpine sits fifth in the manufacturers’ standings, with its best result a third-place finish for the No. 35 car shared by Da Costa, Milesi, and Habsburg at the Circuit of The Americas.
Da Costa’s likely exit comes as the Portuguese driver has been linked with a move to Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA for the 2027 season.
