Toyota wins the battle in Bahrain, but Ferrari wins the war.

Text & Images: Rick Kiewiet

Just like in qualifying, Japan ruled the desert once more. Toyota and Lexus completed a dominant weekend in Bahrain as the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship season came to a close, with Toyota ending its yearlong victory drought in Hypercar and Lexus claiming class honours in LMGT3.

While the Japanese marques celebrated their race wins, Ferrari walked away with both world championships, sealing the Hypercar Manufacturers’ and Drivers’ titles to crown a season that will be remembered for its balance of power and variety of winners.

Toyota ends its drought

Starting from the front row, Toyota Gazoo Racing was untouchable under the Sakhir lights. The No. 7 GR010 Hybrid of Nyck de Vries, Kamui Kobayashi and Mike Conway led from the early stages and controlled the race through multiple late safety car interruptions to score Toyota’s first WEC victory in over a year.

The sister No. 8 Toyota of Brendon Hartley, Sébastien Buemi and Ryo Hirakawa came home second to complete the team’s first one-two since Fuji 2023. Ferrari’s #50 499P of Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen finished third after a late swap between the factory Ferraris secured a 1-2-3 in the drivers’ standings.

Behind the podium, fourth place for the No. 51 Ferrari of Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado and Antonio Giovinazzi was enough to secure the 2025 FIA Hypercar Drivers’ World Championship. The trio’s result, combined with strong team support from the sister car, also sealed Ferrari’s first manufacturers’ title at the top level of endurance racing since 1972.

Ferrari finishes the job

The reigning Le Mans winners never looked threatened for the crown. Having entered the finale with a comfortable points advantage, Pier Guidi, Calado and Giovinazzi managed their race calmly behind the Toyotas, ensuring the title without taking unnecessary risks.

The privateer No. 83 AF Corse Ferrari of Robert Kubica, Phil Hanson and Yifei Ye completed a clean season by finishing fifth and securing second in the standings, while Fuoco, Nielsen and Molina moved up to third overall.

Further back, the No. 12 Cadillac Hertz Team Jota entry finished sixth after showing flashes of pace but lacking the outright consistency to challenge the frontrunners. Aston Martin’s Valkyrie briefly led at half distance before a penalty dropped it out of contention, while both Peugeots faded after a strong qualifying performance.

Porsche Penske Motorsport’s final WEC race ended in disappointment, as its 963s finished well outside the top ten after a string of penalties and contact in the final hour — closing a difficult chapter in its three-year factory Hypercar program.

Lexus wins again in LMGT3

In the LMGT3 class, Lexus mirrored Toyota’s success by taking its second win of the season. The No. 87 Akkodis ASP Lexus RC F GT3 of José María López, Clemens Schmid and Razvan Umbrarescu led most of the way to secure victory, surviving late pressure after the final restart.

Mattia Drudi brought the Heart of Racing Aston Martin home in third behind Maxime Martin’s Iron Lynx Mercedes-AMG, but the championship battle was decided just behind them.

Fourth place was enough for Manthey 1st Phorm Porsche’s Richard Lietz, Riccardo Pera and Ryan Hardwick to defend their LMGT3 titles, completing a season defined by consistency and control. It marked Manthey’s second consecutive FIA WEC GT crown and a fitting conclusion to another hard-fought campaign for the German team.

Rookie test up next

The curtain falls on a fiercely competitive 2025 season that saw five different manufacturers take Hypercar victories and Lexus establish itself as a class-winning force in LMGT3. But the action at Bahrain International Circuit isn’t over yet — tomorrow, the same track hosts the official FIA WEC Rookie Test, where the next generation of endurance stars will take their first laps in world championship machinery.