For the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) season finale, reigning champions Kévin Estre from France and Laurens Vanthoor (Belgium) will team up with Australian Matt Campbell in the No. 6 Porsche 963. Estre and Vanthoor currently rank third in the drivers’ standings but still have a chance to defend their title.
In the No. 5 sister car, former Porsche Junior Laurin Heinrich makes his Hypercar race debut. The German shares the hybrid prototype with French drivers Julien Andlauer and Mathieu Jaminet. In the LMGT3 category, customer team Manthey 1st Phorm heads into the Bahrain International Circuit finale as the leader of the FIA Endurance Trophy. The squad from Germany’s Eifel region tackles the last WEC race of the year holding an 11-point advantage.
“It’d be fantastic to wrap up our era in the FIA WEC with more title wins,” says Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President Porsche Motorsport. “We’re tackling the big finale in Bahrain as the underdogs, but we’ll do everything we can to maximise our chances. The Porsche 963 will bid farewell to the championship as the most successful LMDh car since the regulations were introduced. But that’s not enough for us: we want to win the eight-hour race and, ideally, return to Weissach with world championship trophies. The team, the drivers, and the entire development crew truly deserve such a triumph.”
“For the second consecutive season Porsche Penske Motorsport enters the final event squarely in the championship fight, and we aim to finish strong,” states Jonathan Diuguid, Managing Director Porsche Penske Motorsport. “The story of our team is taking a turn but the story is not finished. I would like to thank every single person who contributed to the Porsche Penske Motorsport story in the WEC over the last three seasons. Without these efforts the accomplishments would not have been possible. We are all pushing to finish the 2025 season with a win.”
Championship standings ahead of the Bahrain finale
Porsche goes into the big showdown in Bahrain ranking second in the manufacturers’ standings – 39 points behind the leaders. In the drivers’ championship, Estre and Vanthoor sit third, 21 points off the frontrunners. For the eight-hour race in Sakhir, points will be multiplied by a factor of 1.5 and rounded up (38-27-23-18-15-12-9-6-3-2). An additional point is awarded for pole position. In the manufacturers’ championship, 66 points are still up for grabs, while 39 points are still on the table in the drivers’ standings.
More information: Bapco Energies 8 Hours of Bahrain 2025 | FIAWEC
Milestones in Porsche Penske Motorsport’s WEC programme
Since the start of the 2023 season, Porsche Penske Motorsport has competed in a total of 22 FIA WEC races on eleven different circuits. The factory Porsche 963’s record as the most successful LMDh car in the Hypercar field includes three wins, 15 podiums, three pole positions, and two fastest race laps. In 2024, Kévin Estre, Laurens Vanthoor, and German driver André Lotterer secured the drivers’ world championship crown at the wheel of the hybrid prototype. Since the launch of the 963 programme, the factory team’s cars have covered a total of 78,289 racing kilometres in the FIA WEC, plus another 36,754 kilometres in practice sessions and qualifying at race weekends.
16 December 2020: entry into the LMDh category
Porsche announces the return of its factory team to fight for overall victories at the world’s most prestigious endurance races. The new Hypercar regulations in the FIA WEC and the GTP category in the IMSA series allow identical race cars to compete on both sides of the Atlantic. Porsche opts to develop an LMDh prototype featuring a V8 biturbo engine and standardised hybrid components.
4 May 2021: inception of Porsche Penske Motorsport
The inception of the Porsche Penske Motorsport factory team: Building on a highly successful collaboration with the renowned American team in the 1970s with the Porsche 917, and again after the turn of the millennium with the Porsche RS Spyder, Porsche and Penske join forces once more. The new WEC squad is based in a redesigned Porsche Centre in Mannheim, Germany, while the IMSA team moves into the Penske facilities in Mooresville, North Carolina, USA.
14 January 2022: roll-out of the new Porsche 963
The motorsport world watches with anticipation and awe as the Porsche 963, the new Le Mans prototype, is rolled out at Porsche’s inhouse test facility in Weissach. Just five weeks later, extensive test sessions begin, including sessions at the Spanish Formula 1 circuit in Barcelona. In June 2022, the new LMDh car is officially unveiled at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the United Kingdom.
17 March 2023: race debut of the Porsche 963
After more than 30,000 test kilometres and the first IMSA race outings, the Porsche 963 makes its FIA WEC debut. At the 1,000-mile race in Sebring, the two factory cars finish fifth and sixth. Just a month later, the IMSA team notches up its first win for the 963 in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in Long Beach. It isn’t long before the WEC squad also gets its first taste of champagne.
16 April 2023: first WEC podium result for the Porsche 963
At just its second WEC outing, the Porsche 963 achieves a podium result. At the six-hour race in Portimão, Portugal, Estre, Lotterer, and Vanthoor take third place following a flawless performance by the entire team. The podium finish is a well-deserved reward for the fledgling top squad, which has performed extensive development work on the standardised hybrid system for all manufacturers’ LMDh cars through rigorous testing.
10/11 June 2023: Le Mans debut for the Porsche 963
At the Porsche 963’s debut in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, three of the hybrid prototypes line up to race on the Circuit des 24 Heures. Their distinctive “butterfly” livery pays tribute to legendary Porsche racing designs. Such a impressive Le Mans lineup was made possible by the seamless collaboration of the global factory team in Mannheim and Mooresville, the Porsche Development Centre in Weissach, and all its partners. However, the major triumph at Le Mans remains elusive.
2 March 2024: second WEC season starts successfully
Porsche Penske Motorsport took the lessons from the 963’s debut season and implemented highly effective improvements – with resounding success. At the 2024 FIA WEC season opener in Qatar, the No. 5 car claims pole position, while its No. 6 sister car spearheads a 1‑2‑3 finish for the Porsche 963 in the race. At the next round in Imola, Italy, the two factory cars finish second and third. The 963’s status as the most successful LMDh car is now firmly cemented.
26 March 2024: Sebastian Vettel tests the Porsche 963
Four-time Formula 1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel tests the Porsche 963 at the Spanish circuit in Aragon. After 581 kilometres, the German enthusiastically declares: “That was definitely fun!” The hybrid racer continues to impress on the racetrack: at Spa-Francorchamps, it clinches pole position – the 100th for Team Penske overall – and a win for customer team Hertz Team Jota. The factory car shared by Estre, Lotterer, and Vanthoor finishes second on the “Ardennes rollercoaster,” maintaining their lead in the championship.
13 June 2024: Kévin Estre takes pole position at Le Mans
Porsche Penske Motorsport again campaigns three 963 cars at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. On qualifying day, Kévin Estre turns a flawless flying lap in the No. 6 cockpit and takes pole position. In the race, however, the team narrowly misses out on Porsche’s sought-after 20th overall victory, finishing fourth.
15 September 2024: win at the 6-hour race at Fuji
Following the disappointment at Le Mans, Porsche Penske Motorsport tackles the remaining races of the season with a nothing-to-lose mindset and total determination. Success quickly follows: a win in the six-hour race at Fuji, Japan, catapults Porsche to the top of the standings, with Estre, Lotterer, and Vanthoor heading to the big showdown in Bahrain as championship leaders.
2 November 2024: WEC drivers' world championship 2024
The WEC season finale in Bahrain delivers the first world championship trophies to Weissach: Kévin Estre, André Lotterer, and Laurens Vanthoor claim the 2024 drivers’ world championship in the Porsche 963. Porsche narrowly misses out on the manufacturers’ title by just two points. Meanwhile, the IMSA branch of the global Porsche Penske Motorsport operation secures all six titles in North America.
14/15 June 2025: victory at Le Mans narrowly missed
After a mediocre start to the FIA WEC season but four straight wins in the IMSA series, all eyes turn to Le Mans. Once again, the team delivers a flawless performance at the endurance classic. Kévin Estre, Matt Campbell, and Laurens Vanthoor squeeze every ounce of potential from the No. 6 entry – but fall just short of victory in the fastest LMDh car in the Hypercar class, finishing second by only 14.084 seconds.
7 September 2025: win at six-hour race at Austin
The fight for the world championship crowns is still wide open. Porsche Penske Motorsport calls upon all its resources to bring the 2025 season to a triumphant conclusion. The victory for Estre, Campbell, and Vanthoor in the six-hour race at Austin (USA) was followed by a podium finish in Japan three weeks later. Porsche remains in contention at the top of the manufacturers’ standings, while the No. 6 driver crew keeps their championship hopes alive.
Driver comments ahead of the final race of the 2025 season
Laurin Heinrich (Porsche 963 #5): “Three years ago I was a Porsche Junior, and now I’m contesting a WEC race for Porsche Penske Motorsport in the 963 – it’s incredible and makes me very proud. Almost everything will be new for me: the track, the FIA WEC, the team, and the car. The crew and I have prepared as thoroughly as possible for the challenges ahead. I hope I can support Porsche and my teammates in the fight for the titles.”
Kévin Estre (Porsche 963 #6): “We’re heading into the final race of the season, and it’s also the last for Porsche Penske Motorsport in the WEC programme. There’s no time for nostalgia: we’re still fighting for both the manufacturers’ and drivers’ championships. Our results in the second half of the season have kept us in contention for the world titles in Bahrain. In recent races, the team has consistently maximised the potential of our package. We aim to continue this in the finale – to win titles and leave the WEC programme on a high.”
Neel Jani (Porsche 963 #99): “As we approach the end of a challenging season, we’re eager to finish on a high note. There have been bright moments throughout the year, even if the results haven’t always reflected that. Last year in Bahrain we were strong, starting fourth and spending parts of the race among the leading group. The track suits us, which gives me confidence heading into the final WEC race of the year.”
Michelle Gatting (Porsche 911 GT3 R #85): “Finishing the season in Bahrain is always a highlight. It’s amazing for us to return with Porsche to the venue of our 2023 victory. This success will always stay in our hearts and minds. We know we are strong in Bahrain; we know we are fast there, and we know we have the best team behind us, so of course we’ll do everything in our power to finish the season on a high – not only for ourselves, but for everyone that supports us through highs and lows.”
Richard Lietz (Porsche 911 GT3 R #92): “The season finale in Bahrain promises to be thrilling, with everything on the line for us. Of course, our aim is to win the championship. The long eight-hour race will take us from the scorching afternoon into the cooler evening, making it crucial to find the optimal setup as track temperatures drop. I’m hoping for a clean, incident-free race and a strong result for our team.”
