Mercedes-AMG Ruled Out of 2025 WEC LMGT3 Slot

Securing 24 Hours of Le Mans opportunities for Mercedes-AMG customer teams remains “a priority” for head of customer racing Stefan Wendl even after the brand was informed that there will be no room for new LMGT3 manufacturers on the FIA World Endurance Championship grid in 2025.

Wendl confirmed to Sportscar365 that the brand’s efforts to secure a LMGT3 slot for the class’ second season have not paid off, with the limited grid size the key factor as to why.

Although WEC is set to expand its grid capacity from 37 to 40 next year, it is expected that the three additional grid slots will be allocated to Hypercar teams amidst the introduction of a two-car mandate for top-class manufacturers.

That means that there is likely to be no increase for the 18-car LMGT3 field, which currently consists of Aston Martin, BMW, Chevrolet, Ferrari, Ford, McLaren, Lexus, Porsche and Lamborghini.

As a result, Mercedes-AMG is set to go absent from the WEC for the second year of the LMGT3 ruleset, despite Wendl seeking to continue dialogue with the ACO and even visiting the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps earlier this year.

“The current status is that also next year there’s no spot to add another brand, which would be us, to the grid of the GT3 field,” Wendl said.

“So that’s the current status. It’s difficult.”

Wendl added that Mercedes-AMG remains committed to finding a way to compete at Le Mans even without a WEC slot, previously floating the idea of entering the European Le Mans Series as a pathway to securing potential automatic invites.

With a WEC presence all but off the table for 2025, he hinted that it could become the brand’s next approach before attempting to join the WEC grid in 2026.

“For us, it would be absolutely an option to go in this way,” said Wendl.

“Same as we also collect interest from our customers for Asian Le Mans Series over the winter. First of all, we collect the interest of our customers, and then we try to make it possible. This is what we are working on.

“As we have a huge customer base and also a few customers willing to enter this platform, and at least Le Mans, even if it would be only an invitation, this is at the moment priority to make it possible for our customers.”

Mercedes-AMG had a presence during the Road to Le Mans support races at the Circuit de la Sarthe last month, with Team Motopark, GetSpeed Performance and Heart of Racing by SPS each fielding a single car.

Although only part of the support package, Wendl believes the brand’s presence at Road to Le Mans brings potential “practical benefits” should LMGT3 entries for the French endurance classic be secured in the future.

“Every lap we make on this track is unique, and there are no testing opportunities, so it makes us learn,” said Wendl.

“So it helps us with those things. It helps us with the data to prepare potential effort in WEC and Le Mans later on.

“On the other hand, it was purely financed on the customer side, from those customers who wants to join the Le Mans track in an AMG, and Road to Le Mans made it possible.

“And that’s why we are very thankful that those entries been allowed.”