WEC: Porsche hypercar project may be nearing its end, says German newspaper

Porsche was undoubtedly the star of the Austin World Endurance Championship weekend. After a race marked by rain, stoppages, and breathtaking battles, the #6 car crossed the finish line, scoring the German team's first victory of the season. However, this spotlight wasn't limited to the track, especially given the rumors swirling in the paddock about the manufacturer's possible exit from the premier endurance category.

They braved the elements to bring P1 home👏 #WEC #6HCota #Porsche pic.twitter.com/D23WMeFfPz

— FIA World Endurance Championship (@FIAWEC) September 8, 2025

So far, there has been no official statement from the brand or the factory team, which is run by Penske. However, as reported by the German portal AutoSports, the car manufacturer is experiencing financial problems, with a 91% drop in profits in the second quarter of 2025, delisting from the German stock exchange's DAX index, and a wave of layoffs. Furthermore, there is growing dissatisfaction among Porsche's management regarding the WEC.

According to the newspaper, until Le Mans, despite speculation about the continuity of the hypercar project in both WEC and IMSA, no decision would be made in haste.

In August, at IMSA Road America, Porsche Motorsport boss Thomas Laudenbach even stated that a new board approval would not be necessary to continue the Hypercar programs through 2027, although they would undergo annual reviews, as is customary. But in Austin last weekend, the narrative appears to have changed.

"It's still too early to say what next year will be like; we're in no rush," Laudenbach stated, suggesting that a decision is yet to be made. Thus, the German newspaper speculates on the possibility of one of the two programs—IMSA or WEC—being terminated.

Internal sources say decisions will only be made once the company's new leadership is in place. Current Porsche CEO Oliver Blume is expected to dedicate himself fully to leading the Volkswagen Group. The new CEO will, of course, have a say in the brand's future in endurance racing.

Porsche 963 Project

On December 16, 2020, Porsche announced for the first time that it would return to the top classes of the world's two largest endurance series: the FIA ​​World Endurance Championship (WEC) and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. This was prompted by the FIA ​​and IMSA's decision to introduce a common set of rules for the top vehicles starting in the 2023 season: hybrid prototypes in the LMDh (Le Mans Daytona hybrid) category.

Porsche's return to the premier endurance class—both in IMSA and WEC, including Le Mans—began to take shape in May 2021, with the announcement of a strategic partnership with Penske. Together, they formed Porsche Penske Motorsport, the global team responsible for managing the automaker's two official programs. Multimatic was chosen as the chassis supplier, among the four manufacturers homologated for the LMDh regulations.

Porsche Penske Motorsport's IMSA debut at the 2023 24 Hours of Daytona officially marked the beginning of a new era for the automaker in endurance racing. The American classic served as the first major test for the Porsche 963, which immediately demonstrated its competitive potential, starting from the front row and leading key laps with the #7 car. However, reliability issues and operational adjustments prevented a result that lived up to expectations: the two official prototypes finished seventh and eighth, generating frustration within the team.

The start of the WEC campaign at Sebring was also below expectations, with Porsche finishing fifth and sixth. From then on, however, the team's continued development work began to pay off—and the team's performance improved steadily in the following races.

In 2024, the team had its best year in the WEC, winning the drivers' championship with Kévin Estre, André Lotterer and Laurens Vanthoor, and fighting until the last laps for the constructors' title, which went to Toyota Gazoo Racing.

The 2025 WEC season, however, didn't start as Porsche had hoped, with results below the German manufacturer's expectations. The first victory, achieved by car #6, came only in the sixth round of the championship.

To date, the Porsche 963 has participated in three editions of the 24 Hours of Le Mans without winning — the team's best result was second place in the 2025 edition.

The end of the Porsche 963 project

Closing one of the official programs, whether IMSA or WEC, would bring savings of around 50 million euros per year, according to Germany's AutoSports.

Although many believe that if a program were to be cut, it would be IMSA, as it is a regional championship, the ongoing dissatisfaction with the World Endurance Championship could change the team's decision.

Porsche has been highly critical of the way the WEC attempts to balance the two hypercar subcategories (LMH and LMDh) via Balance of Performance (BoP). In June, despite a near-perfect run at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the #6 car finished second, and the gap to the winning Ferrari was attributed to poor BoP calibration. Laudenbach didn't hide his frustration.

"The defeat at Le Mans hurt a lot, because we had a perfect race. It's one of the reasons for our dissatisfaction with the WEC. The championship's BoP concept failed. The list of improvements for the WEC is long," he declared.

It's no secret to AutoSports that Laudenbach prefers IMSA—spectacular circuits, more intense racing, fewer BoPs, and exciting races thanks to different rules. Even with BoP penalties after four consecutive wins in 2025, Porsche continues to lead both major IMSA championships and has a real chance of winning the title.

Uncertain future in WEC due to BoP

As cited by Laudenbach, one of the biggest topics of discussion at the WEC is the issues with the BoP.

Porsche isn't the first team to sharply criticize the Balance of Performance. David Floury, technical director of Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe, lamented in July the quality of on-track action in the WEC Hypercar division during 2025, labeling it "a sad season" and suggesting that so far it has lacked "real racing." It's worth noting that TGR, the 2024 champion team, has struggled with the Balance of Performance this season.

Changing the balancing system, however, would require a complete overhaul, eliminating subcategories (LMH and LMDh) and unifying technical concepts—which could take years. In IMSA, where only LMDh cars compete (with the exception of Aston Martin), the system is simpler. This could make it easier for Porsche's board to approve the budget.

Despite the uncertain future, in the 2025 constructors' championship table, Porsche Penske Motorsport occupies second place, with 138 points in six stages, only behind Ferrari AF Corse, which dominates the season with 203 points.

The FIA ​​World Endurance Championship returns on September 28 for the seventh round of the 2025 season: the 6 Hours of Fuji in Japan.