BREAKING: Porsche to End Factory WEC Programme After 2025

Text & Images: Rick Kiewiet

Porsche has confirmed that its factory Hypercar effort in the FIA World Endurance Championship will come to an end after the 2025 season. The German marque’s two-car Porsche Penske Motorsport squad will bow out following November’s 8 Hours of Bahrain, while its IMSA GTP programme and Formula E works entry will continue unaffected.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Porsche described the move as part of a “comprehensive realignment” of its motorsport activities. “We very much regret that, due to the current circumstances, we will not be continuing our involvement in the WEC after this season,” said Dr Michael Steiner, Member of the Executive Board for Development at Porsche AG. “Motorsport has always been of major importance for Porsche and is an essential part of the brand.”

Porsche Motorsport boss Thomas Laudenbach added: “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.”

The announcement brings an end to Porsche’s factory participation in WEC’s Hypercar class after just three seasons. Since debuting the LMDh-spec 963 in 2023, the marque has collected three overall victories and last year’s World Drivers’ Championship with Kevin Estre, Laurens Vanthoor and André Lotterer. Heading into Bahrain, the #6 crew still has a mathematical shot at retaining their title.

Is Dissatisfaction Behind the Decision?

Officially, Porsche attributes its exit to “current circumstances,” but what those circumstances exactly are remains unclear. The program’s future had reportedly been under review at board level for some time, and it’s possible that financial pressure — such as declining EV sales, new import tariffs in the U.S. and the broader Volkswagen Group’s cost controls — played a part.

Equally, there seems to have long been a sense of frustration within Porsche about the Balance of Performance system and its influence on the outcome of races. Despite running an almost flawless race at the 24 Hours of Le Mans earlier this year with the #6 car, Porsche came away empty-handed. For a manufacturer that prides itself on precision, preparation, and performance, that result was particularly hard to accept. Winning the 2024 Drivers’ Championship provided some redemption, but the lack of Le Mans success — the company’s ultimate benchmark — despite a perfect race, might have been the decisive blow.

What Comes Next?

Porsche’s withdrawal leaves a potential gap in the WEC field for 2026, although its customer operations could fill the void. Proton Competition currently runs a single 963 and has long been rumored to be exploring a second entry. That expansion would be necessary to comply with the new rule mandating at least two Hypercars per manufacturer (just like JOTA had to field two Caddy's this year).

It is unknown if Manthey’s LMGT3 effort with the Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo will continue independently of the Hypercar program, subject to WEC selection. “Customer racing is, and will remain, an important pillar of Porsche’s motorsport strategy,” the manufacturer reiterated in its release.

In an additional Q&A provided to select media outlets including Sportscar365, Laudenbach stressed that the decision does not mark a definitive “goodbye” to the WEC, leaving the door open for a possible return under different circumstances.

A Changing Landscape

While Porsche’s departure marks the end of an era, the broader Hypercar landscape remains thriving. Genesis Magma Racing will join the grid in 2026, followed by McLaren and Ford in 2027. With Ferrari, Toyota, BMW, Peugeot and others committed to the class, the WEC’s manufacturer roster remains historically strong.

Still, the absence of Porsche Penske Motorsport — one of endurance racing’s most accomplished factory teams — will be keenly felt. For now, Bahrain will serve as both a farewell and a final chance for Porsche to add another victory to its modern-era record before the marque focuses its resources on IMSA and Formula E.