Alpine Seizes First WEC Pole as Fuji Qualifying Cancelled by Rain

Key points

• Alpine’s #36 A424 LMDh, driven by Victor Martins, took pole position based on the fastest practice lap after qualifying was cancelled due to wet conditions and poor visibility.
• The result marks the first pole for Alpine in the Hypercar category and the first for an ORECA-chassied LMDh car, with Charles Milesi’s #35 car starting second.
• Toyota Racing introduced updates to the TR010 Hybrid’s hydraulics and software to fix issues that caused a late retirement and a pit-lane penalty at the Lone Star Le Mans in Austin.
• Aston Martin’s #007 Valkyrie received a two-place grid penalty for an incident in FP3, dropping it to fourth and allowing Genesis Magma Racing to take third and fifth.
• The 6 Hours of Fuji is scheduled to start at 11:00 local time on Sunday, September 27, with coverage available on FIAWEC+ and HBO Max.

Background

Alpine had shown strong pace in dry practice sessions earlier in the weekend, with Martins setting the fastest time in FP2. Toyota had previously struggled at Fuji, finishing seventh in 2025, but has been competitive in four of the first five races of the 2026 season. The championship battle remains tight, with Toyota tied on points with BMW and Ferrari still in contention.

How outlets are covering it

Sportscar365 highlights Alpine’s front-row lockout as a historic milestone for the brand and notes the impact of the Aston Martin penalty on the grid. FIA WEC confirms the grid is based on individual fastest laps from free practice due to the cancellation. Motorsport.com focuses on Toyota’s technical updates, emphasizing that the team has fixed the hydraulic and software issues from Austin to ensure reliability for the race. While Sportscar365 and FIA WEC agree on the grid positions, Motorsport.com provides deeper insight into Toyota’s engineering response to recent failures.

Why it matters

The cancellation of qualifying reshuffled the grid, giving Alpine a significant advantage and forcing title contenders like Toyota and BMW to start further back. Toyota’s reliability updates are crucial as the championship moves to Europe, where consistency will be key. The race at Fuji is a pivotal point in the season, with Toyota traditionally strong at its home circuit.

What to watch

The 6 Hours of Fuji will begin at 11:00 local time on Sunday, September 27. Coverage will be available on FIAWEC+, HBO Max, Eurosport, and TNT Sports 3. The race will determine the standings before the season moves to Europe for the final rounds.