“Actually, it’s not placing on any stress”. That’s what Victor Martins informed Autosport forward of the Method 2 season which he entered as one of many drivers tipped to battle for championship honours in 2024.
In any case, he was the highest-placed 2023 driver to return for the brand new season, having completed fifth on 150 factors, a complete 20 better than future Haas F1 driver Oliver Bearman. This after profitable the earlier yr’s F3 title!
Nonetheless, the season has thus far did not dwell as much as the lofty expectations with the opening 5 rounds guaranteeing that the remainder of the marketing campaign was merely a harm limitation train.
Whereas this might, partly, be put all the way down to the clear issues that ART was having in getting on top of things with how greatest to make use of the all-new F2 chassis, it’s also potential that all the pre-season hype had in actual fact crept beneath the Frenchman’s pores and skin.
Finally, a run of simply 4 prime 10 ends in the opening 10 races of the season derailed any hope that Martins had of gaining an F1 promotion, a risk that grew to become a real actuality when Esteban Ocon’s Alpine exit was confirmed following Might’s Monaco Grand Prix.
Alpine finally appeared in-house for Ocon’s substitute, lastly deciding on Jack Doohan in August – however this adopted what was extensively seen as a shootout check between the Australian and former F1 driver turned Alpine World Endurance Championship pilot, Mick Schumacher. Observe the shortage of Martins on this.
Jack Doohan will companion Pierre Gasly at Alpine for his rookie F1 season
Photograph by: Andrew Ferraro / Motorsport Photos
Whereas Martins had unquestionably suffered with poor luck within the early part of the yr – an engine failure in Bahrain, being caught out by purple flags in Australian qualifying and being the harmless bystander in a Monaco lap one crash – there have been additionally very pricey errors from himself like a lap one crash in Saudi Arabia and a woeful qualifying at Imola.
Mixed, this appeared to place Martins out of competition for a seat which, for a lot of, was his to lose ought to it change into accessible.
Nonetheless, the Frenchman has since change into a tantalising prospect as soon as extra, with an uptick in type seeing him change into one of many F2 type drivers with 4 second-place finishes within the final eight races.
Now eighth within the championship, Alpine has seen sufficient to place Martins as its candidate for the WEC rookie check which can happen in Bahrain on 3 November.
Alpine endurance crew principal Philippe Sinault stated: “We’ve got the chance to run Victor Martins within the Rookie Take a look at session. He is a wonderful driver we all know effectively, Alpine Academy member and dealing so much with the Method 1 crew within the simulator.
“We need to give him a brand new expertise behind the wheel of an endurance prototype and he’ll have the ability to convey a contemporary perspective to our Hypercar, which is all the time attention-grabbing at this part of the programme.”
This might supply a possible subsequent step for Martins, with solely an F1 reserve position showing doubtless within the quick time period.
And the prospect of securing a WEC race seat is a practical prospect, with just lately appointed sporting director Nicolas Lapierre retiring from his driving position creating one opening, and the way forward for Schumacher and questions over whether or not Mercedes would enable Jules Gounon, who’s the present reserve driver and has a number of outings to his identify already, to finish a full marketing campaign creating additional area.
Alpine is fourth within the 2024 Hypercar standings
Photograph by: Andreas Beil
Talking of his preliminary alternative within the check, Martins stated: “I’m tremendous proud of this chance, and I’m very grateful to Alpine Endurance Group for permitting me to proceed studying on this planet of motorsport.
“It is a chance for me to proceed to construct my expertise with new engineers and a brand new automobile, in addition to a chance to indicate my potential.”
However whereas the chance to compete in WEC and the enduring Le Mans 24 Hours are more likely to be an attractive prospect, Martins conceded: “Though I’m very centered on my single-seater journey, it’s a problem that I settle for with pleasure and I hope that we are going to maximize the Rookie Take a look at day, each on my aspect for studying, but in addition to permit the crew to have good knowledge as a part of their improvement.
“I am unable to wait to find this Hypercar, which seems to be very quick!”
So is Martins the WEC reply that Alpine is looking for, or is he merely a field ticked for the rookie check?
Effectively, the reply might be sure to each. He’s the best reply to fill the potential driving void for the longer term and will doubtless change into a top-level expertise in WEC. However on condition that even within the assertion launched by Alpine confirming his check he’s pouring chilly water on the prospect of a change at this stage of his profession, it appears that evidently a full-time crossover will not be foremost on his radar.
Whereas there isn’t any hurt in operating a 3rd F2 season, it isn’t one thing that’s seen in a broadly constructive mild, which means that many drivers linked to F1 groups fall as a substitute into reserve roles, with various ranges of testing programmes to maintain their hand in and consider their F1 potential.
Simply as was the case with Doohan, that is the almost definitely choice for Martins.
So having answered sure to him being the best reply to Alpine’s issues – which he undoubtedly has the potential to be – the reply to the query, will he be the eventual reply, might be a no at this stage.