Da Costa: WEC return with Alpine a 'main objective'

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António Felix da Costa will join Alpine's FIA World Endurance Championship Hypercar programme for 2026, the French squad has announced.

He said that returning to the WEC and endurance racing has been 'one of my main objectives'.

The Portuguese driver, who most recently has raced in Formula E, has previous experience in WEC. He first raced in the world championship for BMW in the GTE Pro class, before switching to LMP2, winning the title and Le Mans in 2022, with JOTA.

Together with JOTA he then moved to the team's Hypercar programme in 2023, before joining Porsche as a factory driver in Formula E for 2024.

His most recent WEC race was for AF Corse in LMP2, at Le Mans this year, alongside François Perrodo and Matthieu Vaxiviere. The trio finished 26th overall, 9th in the LMP2 class, and 4th in the LMP2 pro/am subclass.

For 2026, having ended his relationship with Porsche in Formula E, he'll join Alpine as part of the French squad's Hypercar programme.

Alpine already has six drivers in its Hypercar programme, and so far there is no word on who the Portuguese driver will replace. However, paddock whispers say Paul -Loup Chatin, who drives the #35 Alpine alongside Ferdinand Habsburg and Charles Milesi, will leave Alpine to join the new Genesis squad for 2026. The trio won the last WEC race at Fuji, the first win for the Alpine A424.

It is also possible Habsburg, plus teammate Mick Schumacher in the sister #36 Alpine, will leave. Schumacher tested a Rahal-Letterman-Lanigan Indycar at Indianapolis recently, with a view to potentially joining the team full-time in the series for 2026.

Da Costa tested the Alpine A424 at Le Mans, on the short Bugatti Circuit, on Monday. Only Endurance has obtained some video of the test, which we've embedded below.

Returning to WEC one of Da Costa's 'main objectives'

'I am delighted to join Alpine Endurance Team. Returning to the FIA World Endurance Championship was one of my main objectives, and I am extremely pleased to do so with a manufacturer that has been redefining itself in a bold and ambitious way, and now competing at the forefront of endurance racing,' said Da Costa.

'Alpine is a brand with a strong racing heritage, and becoming part of such an impressive ecosystem is truly exciting.

'The team has been performing at a very high level, recently scored its maiden victory with the A424, making this the perfect moment to begin our collaboration.

'Everyone knows my passion for endurance racing. I have worked extremely hard to develop as a complete driver in this discipline and, after winning the LMP2 title, my goal now is to contribute to Alpine's success at the pinnacle. I look forward to working with the team, my teammates and all the engineers and mechanics.'

Nicolas Lapierre, Alpine's sporting director and a former racing driver himself, said: ''We are very pleased to welcome António Félix da Costa to Alpine Endurance Team. António's profile is exactly what we were looking for: speed, experience and a thorough knowledge of endurance racing and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

'His track record in multiple categories speaks for itself, and we know he will bring a lot to the team, both in sporting terms and on a personal level. He is a complete, determined and charismatic driver who will quickly integrate into our structure.

'We are eager to embark on this new adventure and start working together to make Alpine an ever-stronger force at the forefront of the FIA WEC.'

And finally, Alpine team principal Phillippe Sinault said: 'We are thrilled to welcome António. We have known each other for a long time, and our paths have often crossed, particularly in F3 and Endurance racing.

'There has always been mutual respect between us, as well as a desire to work together one day. It is truly satisfying to see this wish come true today. António is a pure racer who has always known how to get the best out of his car and has been a formidable competitor.

'His presence has left its mark on every team and category he has raced for. He fits in perfectly with our philosophy: human, committed, and focused solely on efficiency. We share the same passion and vision, and we are familiar with his environment, so I am confident that we will quickly become fully operational and performant.

'António will bring a lot with his experience, personality, and results-oriented culture, and we are excited about taking on future challenges together.'

Feature image: Alpine