Porsche Penske Set for “Emotional” Final WEC Race

Photo: Jurgen Tap/Porsche

Porsche Penske Motorsport is preparing for what will be an “emotional” final race in the FIA World Endurance Championship according to Kevin Estre, who along with Laurens Vanthoor and Penske Racing President Jonathan Diuguid, have reflected on the factory squad’s successful three seasons of competition.

The Stuttgart manufacturer will bow out of the Hypercar class following today’s season-ending 8 Hours of Bahrain, with a chance of still winning the drivers’ and manufacturers’ world championship, in what could mark back-to-back drivers’ titles for Estre and Vanthoor.

The German-American outfit has been regarded as the most successful manufacturer with a LMDh car, which made its WEC race debut in 2023 and scored 15 podium finishes, including three wins, between its two full season works Porsche 963s.

For Estre and Vanthoor, the only two drivers in the squad to have taken part in all of the team’s 22 world championship races to date, this weekend’s finale serves as mixed emotions for both.

“It’s very emotional,” said Estre. “It’s the crew, a team of people which have been working together for three, or even four years, when we think about the development and the people working around this project.

“For sure it’s not easy but the fact we can work for the championship has put a smile on everybody’s face and the motivation and the full commitment to finish this championship on a high.

“It’s going to be emotional, for sure when the checkered flag will drop, but until that we have to be fully focused on what our goal is and we all want to win another world title.”

Estre, who won the 2018-19 WEC GTE-Pro world title, like Vanthoor, graduated to the top prototype ranks on the heels of their success with GTE and GT3-spec Porsche 911s, but were arguably the two quickest drivers to adapt to Hypercar competition.

It came under the immense pressure of the newly formed organization, which brought Roger Penske back to the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the first time in the modern era.

“When you associate two brands like Porsche and Penske, already you have some weight on your shoulder and you know that it’s going to be good,” said Estre.

“Of course the first year was difficult with build up. We started from scratch, so it was not easy.

“It’s been amazing to drive, to work with these people, to drive for this team. People coming from IndyCar, LMP1 times, LMP2 times, with the [RS Spyder] at the time and the RSR [program].

“It’s been a lot of talents that put it together for this program and it’s been very successful.

“I’m really glad to have been part of this. We built up, all together, a great group of people that work together with a different mindset.

“A German mindset and an American mindset is a bit different.

“Everyone had to learn from each other and I’m glad we found the way to win races and be successful.”

Vanthoor, meanwhile, admitted there’s not “one moment” that he could pick from the team’s memorable WEC campaign.

“There’s so many,” he said. “Just being a part of the group since Day 1 and overcoming the hurdles and building the team together.

“It’s something that I’m personally proud to have been a part of.

“The fact that we could turn that [around] into success in the end and be one of the most successful teams and cars on the grid.

“In the end, that concept, that makes me feel proud.

“The world [drivers’] championship is amazing and winning the races, but this fact makes me also even proud as well.”

Diuguid, who began in the position of Porsche Penske’s managing director, remembers the first WEC season, which he described as a “struggle.”

“There’s no other way to describe it,” he said. “There was difficult conversations and doubts and questions of the group at all levels and if we were taking the right approach.

“Then we started 2024 with a win in Daytona [at the Rolex 24] and win and pole in Qatar and a really strong performance as a group. That was really the turning point.

“That led into the pole at Le Mans, which Kevin had, which was pretty exciting.

“Not only because it was a pole in Le Mans but because we nearly ran out of fuel and didn’t think we were going to have another lap based on the red flag. It was one of those dramatic scenarios.

“I think Kevin was the last car to cross the finish line in qualifying, or second to last, and he put it on top of the pole there.

“Those two things combined are probably the things I’ll definitely remember.”

Estre, meanwhile, highlights his, Vanthoor and Andre Lotterer’s drivers’ title in 2024, which came down to the wire in Bahrain.

“I think the world championship last year is something we have to be proud of as a team,” he said.

“Because of our good execution and everything we achieved, that world championship, and not because we were much faster or whatever.

“I will take that [memory]. It was my second world championship because I had one in GTE but the one in Hypercar is definitely has a very strong meaning.

“Crossing the finish line after a tough race mentally in Bahrain [last year] but winning the championship, together with Laurens and Andre, having a great trio, we had a lot of fun and success together, was something very special.”

Vanthoor added: “It would be amazing to sign this off with another world title.

“Already now I think we can be very proud of everything that we’ve achieved together, but [a title] would be the cherry on the cake.”

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John