Schumacher Turns First Laps in Alpine A424

Mick Schumacher completed his first laps behind the wheel of the Alpine A424 LMDh car, working through a “short program” as part of a multi-day test outing for the French manufacturer at the Circuito de Jerez in Spain.

Signatech team principal Philippe Sinault confirmed to Sportscar365 that Schumacher got behind the wheel of the ORECA-chassised prototype on Tuesday.

The German driver has been linked with Alpine in recent weeks as a means of continuing his racing career after his exit from active Formula 1 competition.

The son of seven-time F1 world champion Michael Schumacher contested 43 Grands Prix with Haas F1 before he was replaced by 2015 Le Mans winner Nico Huelkenberg for the current season.

Schumacher has remained active as a reserve driver with the Mercedes F1 operation since his Haas exit, but joined Alpine in Jerez to drive the A424, which sported a new blue color scheme compared to previous test outings.

“Mick has some interest in endurance and we had the opportunity to offer him a first experience in endurance,” Sinault told Sportscar365.

“[It was] his first time in the car and the first time in a prototype. It’s not a question if he’s able to drive a prototype. For sure, in terms of level, but also in terms of mind, approach and spirit.”

Sinault described Schumacher’s inclusion in the test as a ‘first contact’ explaining that it was an opportunity for him to acclimatize to the demands of driving a closed-cockpit LMDh car.

As part of his rise to F1, Schumacher has exclusively competed in single seater machinery thus far in his career.

“The number of laps, the precise number, I don’t know exactly, but we made a short program for the first experience for him in endurance,” said Sinault.

“But even enough for him to have a good view of what could be an endurance program and also for us to have a first contact. But we don’t know what will be the future for him and for us also with him, but it was a first contact.”

Alpine has no further test outings planned with Schumacher according to Sinault, who downplayed rumors linking him to the French marque for 2024, saying it has not been decided if Schumacher will form part of Alpine’s Hypercar lineup.

“With us or with maybe another manufacturer, I don’t know,” he said.

“But he [had] some interest [in] endurance, so we had the opportunity. So we talked together about this test and we will see.”

In addition to Schumacher, Charles Milesi, Nicolas Lapierre and Andre Negrao will also drive the A424 across Alpine’s multi-day program in Spain.

Both Milesi and Lapierre drove the car in previous test outings, while current FIA WEC LMP2 driver Negrao will complete his first miles at the wheel of the car during the test.

“Because Milesi, Negrao, because they are involved and they are Alpine drivers this year,” Sinault said.

“So they are good drivers and I have full confidence in them to help us to develop the car. Lapierre because he’s a development driver, official development driver of this car.”