Porsche says it still remains committed to motorsport to develop future sports car technologies
by Brad Anderson
2 hours ago
- Financial issues are thought to have contributed to the axing of the WEC program.
- Porsche has also expressed concerns with the current Balance of Performance rules.
- Despite axing the WEC program, Porsche will continue competing in Formula E.
After just three years on the grid and a championship title under its belt, Porsche is pulling the plug on its World Endurance Championship program at the end of this season. However, this does not mean the end of the race-winning 963 hypercar, as it will continue to race in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in North America.
Read: One Man Got A New Porsche Hypercar No One Else Ever Will
Porsche is remaining coy about why it is pulling the plug on the 963 in WEC, but challenging finances are believed to have played a significant role in the decision. Due in part to US President Donald Trump’s tariffs, sales have slipped in the US at a time when Porsche is also experiencing a significant fall in demand in China.
Looking further ahead, the company also plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce by 2029 and has scaled back its annual production ambitions from 300,000 to 250,000 units.
Frustration with the Rules
Adding to the strain, Porsche Motorsport boss Thomas Laudenbach recently expressed concerns with the current Balance of Performance rules that have contributed to “questionable” results, Motorsport reports.
In an statement, Porsche board member Michael Steiner remarked “We very much regret that, due to the current circumstances, we will not be continuing our involvement in the WEC after this season.”
A Refocused Racing Future
The German car manufacturer has confirmed that moving forward, it will concentrate on running the 963 in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship as well as the 99X Electric in the Formula E World Championship.
However, Weissach’s decision to end its factory involvement in the WEC’s hypercar category doesn’t necessarily mean we won’t see the 963 competing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans next year. The Porsche Penske team is expected to win this year’s WeatherTech championship, and this will make it eligible to compete at La Sarthe in 2026.
“We use motorsport as a development platform for future technology and to illustrate the potential of our sports cars,” Porsche Motorsport vice president Thomas Laudenbach said. “With the Porsche 963 in the North American IMSA series and the Porsche 99X Electric in the Formula E World Championship, we want to continue to fight for overall victories in the future. That is our tradition and our focus.”
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