Sportscar365’s Story of the Year

Sportscar365 is recognizing its top competitors and moments from 2025, continuing with its story of the year in sports car racing, as voted by its staff.

Story of the Year – Porsche’s Hypercar Withdrawal from WEC

Amid declining car sales, particularly with EVs and in the Chinese market, rumors began to swirl of changes coming at Porsche Motorsport, with both of its factory programs in the FIA World Endurance Championship and IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship having been in jeopardy by the summer months of the year.

While a decision was due to be taken by the board in August, it was delayed by several months and an announcement on Oct. 7, less than a month before the season-ending 8 Hours of Bahrain, led to the shock withdrawal of the Porsche Penske Motorsport operation from the WEC, after just three seasons.

Not many would have predicted Porsche, arguably one of the most iconic sports car brands in the world, to have been the first OEM to have pulled the plug on a full-factory Hypercar program. While saving its works WeatherTech Championship effort, its withdrawal from the WEC led to two months of uncertainty on whether the Porsche 963 would still race in the world championship next year, either in privateer hands or as an independent Team Penske-led effort.

Both options, including a combination effort that would have seen Roger Penske, still seeking an elusive Le Mans win, support Christian Ried’s Proton Competition privateer outfit to expand into a two-car operation, as required by WEC rules, were explored but ultimately rejected by the brand on the grounds of it potentially appearing too much like a factory operation.

That decision could result in the Porsche 963, which will not be on the grid in the WEC or at the 24 Hours of Le Mans next year, becoming the first top-class prototype from the German manufacturer to not have won the French endurance classic since the Porsche 908 from the 1960s-70s.

Honorable Mentions:

***While not officially acknowledging it as a determining factor, Porsche’s WEC withdrawal was, at least in part, also down to the unstable Balance of Performance system in the world championship and the considerable swings in performance between cars from race to race. The FIA and ACO made no fewer than four in-season changes to the actual procedure, while often not publicly confirming the new criteria. IMSA also battled BoP challenges of its own, but to a lesser-publicized extent, with the sanctioning body forced to conduct manual BoP adjustments beginning with the WeatherTech Championship round in Detroit amid significant unrest from GTP manufacturers after Porsche Penske’s dominant four-race win streak to start the season.

***The long-talked about rumors of Ford and McLaren joining the LMDh ranks with top-flight factory prototype programs rang true this year, with both manufacturers officially announcing efforts, beginning in 2027 in the WEC. The ‘Blue Oval’ was the first to confirm its plans to return to Le Mans to fight for the overall win, during a season launch event in January, followed by a short statement from McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown in April stating “We’re Back” that essentially confirmed its Hypercar effort. Further details of both programs were revealed at Le Mans, which saw Ford confirm chassis partner ORECA and McLaren partner with Dallara and United Autosports as its operator. Ford, in September, meanwhile, announced that it will build its own team from the ground up.

***More than three years after unveiling a concept car at the Tokyo Auto Salon, which was followed up by extensive on-track testing around the world in a camouflaged livery, Toyota presented its long-awaited GR GT3 car in early December, confirming a full rollout in 2027. Sportscar365 understands that several test races, including a potential debut in next year’s Nürburgring 24, is on the cards, while existing Lexus squads Vasser Sullivan Racing and Akkodis ASP are set to stick with RC F GT3s next year.