24h Le Mans
Mick Schumacher is on the cusp of a new career milestone as he takes his rookie start in the 24 Hours of Le Mans at the wheel of Alpine Endurance Team's #36 Alpine A424 in the Hypercar category.
After accumulating extensive experience in single-seater championships including Formula 1 (43 Grand Prix between 2021 and 2022), Mick Schumacher (age 25) is now taking on endurance racing and the 24 Hours. The German driver joined Alpine's Hypercar programme this past winter and will share the #36 A424 with Nicolas Lapierre and Matthieu Vaxivière. He is gearing up for his first appearance in the Le Mans classic after promising performances in the first three 2024 FIA WEC rounds. Michael Schumacher: It is a great pleasure to be here as part of Alpine, a great French team. We're very excited for it. It's going to be a great event.
Schumacher considers those FIA WEC races as much-needed preparation for the 24 Hours. Schumacher: I think it is a great race and it's my first time so I'm experiencing everything for the very first time. It really shows that people are here because they're passionate about racing and that's a very, very nice thing to see. Personally, I'm just excited to get to the race, to see how that feels, 24 hours on edge, the longest I will have done that. One of the big points here is there's always something happening. We always have traffic, we always have to think about strategy. You always have to make sure you can get to the end of your stint. There are a lot of cars out there, and if you happen to be in the wrong spot at the wrong time, it can be very costly. You know, it just adds to the challenge.
One of the many unique aspects of the 24 Hours is driving at night. Schumacher greatly enjoyed the atmosphere yesterday evening during the second free practice. Schumacher: Honestly, I didn't think it was that difficult. We had a test in Jerez that I think was by far much more difficult than this. I really enjoyed it. It's a different feeling and gives a different vibe. I think it's going to be an exciting race for sure.
He will look to indispensable guidance from Le Mans veteran Nicolas Lapierre (16 participations). Alpine drivers team leader Nicolas Lapierre: We've spent a lot of time with Mick for his first time here, and other drivers as well, to speak about traffic, slow zones [which] can be quite tricky as well, so we have to be very careful. For me, if there is one time that it's a bit more hard than others, it's the race in the sun in the morning because you feel almost like you have passed the night and you are through and it's finished. And sometimes you [then] release a lot of the focus because it's a little bit easier to drive when it's daylight, and you see quite a lot of mistakes happening around 5 or 6 in the morning. So, this is when we need to keep our focus.
Given his background in Formula 1, Schumacher cannot escape the comparison with endurance racing. Schumacher: No, it's not comparable in the sense that it's two different championships. Since it is that way, I also take it that way. I am able to separate the two so my driving style can match. I try to bring as much information from my side into my driving here.
Schumacher is ready to add a new feather to his cap. Between dealing with technical challenges, adapting to night driving and constantly taking in new information, this race promises to be a decisive step in his career. His father, Michael, competed in the 24 Hours in 1991 at the wheel of a Sauber Mercedes C11 shared with Karl Wendlinger and Fritz Kreutzpointner, finishing fifth overall and clocking the fastest lap. How will the race unfold for Mick this weekend?
