PORSCHE PENSKE SET TO LEAVE WEC AT THE END OF THE 2025 SEASON
Porsche has officially announced that it will end its participation in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) at the end of the 2025 season. Starting in 2026, the Porsche 963 LMDh prototype will only race in the IMSA SportsCar Championship in North America. The company will also continue its efforts in Formula E with the 99X Electric, which aligns more closely with the future of its road car development.
There had been rumors for over a year about Porsche possibly leaving the WEC, even though it confirmed its Hypercar-class entry just a year ago with two hybrid race cars run by Team Penske. Recently, internal changes at the top levels of Porsche AG made these discussions more serious.
In today’s statement, Porsche explained that it wants to focus on championships that are more relevant to its markets and future goals. These are the American IMSA series and Formula E, where the brand sees more value in terms of technology and marketing.
“In this competitive environment, we will keep working on high-performance car development,” said Michael Steiner, a Porsche board member. He also hinted at some disappointment with the WEC situation:
“We are very sorry that, due to the current circumstances, we won’t be able to stay in the WEC after this season.”
Thomas Laudenbach, Porsche’s Vice President of Motorsport, added:
“We use racing to test future technologies and to show what our sports cars can do.
With the Porsche 963 in IMSA and the 99X Electric in Formula E, we want to keep fighting for wins. That’s our tradition and our goal.”
Comprehensive realignment means the company is making big changes because it’s having financial problems, which were only rumours until some days ago. Economic challenges around the world and political tensions are also having a big negative impact on the company’s results for the first half of the year, complicating even more their dream of the major win at Le Mans, which is still missing for Roger Penske.
Why Porsche Prefers IMSA Over WEC
Porsche says its focus on the IMSA, highlighted by the famous Daytona 24 Hours, shows how important the North American market and endurance racing are to the brand. Along with its factory efforts in Formula E and IMSA, Porsche will continue to support customer racing, which remains a key part of its motorsport strategy.
The U.S. and China are Porsche’s biggest markets. While luxury car sales have dropped sharply in China, rising import taxes and a strong dollar are creating problems in the U.S. By racing in IMSA, Porsche hopes to keep its brand strong and limit the decline in sales in the U.S. as much as possible.
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