Porsche to exit WEC Hypercar class after 2025 season

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In a blow to the FIA World Endurance Championship, Porsche has announced that it will withdraw its factory team from the Hypercar class at the conclusion of the 2025 season.

The decision brings to a close the manufacturer’s latest chapter in prototype endurance racing, which it operates in partnership with Team Penske.

The Stuttgart-based marque will, however, continue its top-level sportscar activities in North America, remaining in the IMSA SportsCar Championship for 2026 and beyond, as well as in the FIA Formula E World Championship.

A Brief but Brilliant Run in Hypercar

Porsche Penske Motorsport entered the WEC Hypercar class in 2023 with its 963 Hypercar, built to the LMDh regulations, and the program quickly bore fruit, with drivers Kevin Estre, Laurens Vanthoor, and Andre Lotterer clinching the 2024 drivers’ championship.

The team came agonizingly close to securing the manufacturers’ title, only to be edged out by Toyota in the season finale in Bahrain.

This year, Estre and Vanthoor remain in contention for a second consecutive drivers’ title, trailing Ferrari’s leading trio by 21 points heading into the final race next month.

The WEC Hypercar podium at the Six Hours of Fuji with Porsche's Kevin Estre and Laurens Vanthoor.

The 963 also came tantalizingly close to glory at this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, where Estre, Vanthoor, and Matt Campbell delivered a near-flawless performance, finishing second behind the #83 Ferrari 499P.

Despite these achievements, Porsche’s factory effort will conclude after just three seasons, leaving fans and competitors alike to ponder what might have been.

Financial Realities Force a Strategic Retreat

Porsche’s decision is rooted in economic challenges facing the company. The manufacturer has heavily invested in electric vehicles, but sluggish sales have strained revenue, prompting cost-cutting measures across its operations.

The WEC Hypercar program, while successful on the track, has become a casualty of these broader corporate pressures.

In a statement, Porsche board member Dr. Michael Steiner expressed the company’s regret over the decision:

“We very much regret that, due to the current circumstances, we will not be continuing our involvement in the WEC after this season,” said Steiner.

Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President of Porsche Motorsport, emphasized the company’s ongoing commitment to motorsport, albeit in a more focused capacity:

“We use motorsport as a development platform for future technology and to illustrate the potential of our sports cars.

“With the Porsche 963 in the North American IMSA series and the Porsche 99X Electric in the Formula E World Championship, we want to continue to fight for overall victories in the future. That is our tradition and our focus.”

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The absence of Porsche’s factory team in WEC will leave a void in a championship that has thrived on fierce competition among automotive giants.

As the season draws to a close in Bahrain, fans will watch closely to see if Estre and Vanthoor can cap Porsche’s WEC tenure with another drivers’ title, cementing the 963’s legacy before the factory team bows out.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.