The 2-time GT World Problem Europe Endurance Cup title winner with Mercedes takes the Habsburg’s seat within the French producer’s #35 A424 LMDh alongside Charles Milesi and Paul-Loup in his position as official reserve for the Signatech-run Alpine Endurance Group.
Habsburg has been dominated out for the second spherical of the 2024 WEC no less than after sustaining two fractured vertebrae throughout an endurance check with Alpine on the Aragon ciruit on the finish of March.
Alpine staff principal Philippe Sinault stated: “It is by no means simple to make your debut in such a context, however Jules was recognized, chosen and signed to fill this position, regardless that we by no means imagined it will occur so early like this.
“He is essentially prepared however nonetheless has a lot to study, even when he has already demonstrated his mastery of a number of features, given his observe document in GT [racing].
“We honed his preparation throughout our newest checks along with his six team-mates after which within the simulator to organize him for all our processes.”
Sinault added that Habsburg would “be in our minds” and that his absence is “a tough blow”.
Alpine has given no indication of whether or not Habsburg might be slot in time for spherical three of the WEC at Spa on 11 Could.
The 2 fractured lumbar vertebrae had been sustained when Habsburg crashed at Flip 7 at MotorLand Aragon for causes which have to this point not been disclosed by Alpine.
#35 Alpine Endurance Group Alpine A424: Paul-Loup Chatin, Ferdinand Habsburg-Lothringen, Charles Milesi
Photograph by: JEP / Motorsport Images
The accidents had been solely recognized after Habsburg had returned to his native Austria, regardless of present process checks within the native hospital in Alcaniz.
Gounon, 29, has been a manufacturing facility sportscar driver since he started a three-year stint at Bentley previous to becoming a member of the Mercedes-AMG GT3 roster in 2021.
However Imola might be his first race on the wheel of a prototype.
Alpine stated in its pre-race assertion that its mission over the weekend of the Imola 6 Hours might be “to collect as a lot knowledge as doable”.
“Our aim at Imola is to proceed our studying course of to be more and more prepared and acquire momentum for the forthcoming races,” defined Sinault.
“We’ll uncover a circuit fairly completely different from what we have skilled because the first runs of the A424.”
Habsburg, Milesi and Chatin took factors for Alpine on the debut of the A424 developed along side French constructor ORECA within the Qatar 1812Km initially of March.
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