The 963 prototype will stay in IMSA as Porsche shifts focus to its key North American market and electric development.
Porsche AG has confirmed it will withdraw its factory-backed Porsche 963 from the Hypercar class of the World Endurance Championship starting in 2026. The company plans to focus its efforts on the Porsche 963 in the IMSA WeatherTech Championship with Porsche Penske Motorsport, as well as on the FIA Formula E World Championship.
“We deeply regret that, given the current situation, we won’t continue in the WEC beyond this season,” said Michael Steiner, a member of Porsche’s development board. While he didn’t provide detailed reasons, the company has announced a 10% workforce reduction due to declining sales and new US import tariffs affecting its vehicles.
Porsche also voiced frustration with the WEC’s rules framework, where its LMDh Porsche 963 competes against LMh cars in Hypercar, including at the Le Mans 24 Hours, where the Ferrari 499P has dominated all three races under the present regulations.
Thomas Laudenbach, vice president of Porsche Motorsport, criticized the Balance of Performance (BoP) system applied by the FIA and the Automobile Club de L’Ouest to equalize LMDh and LMh machinery. He highlighted Porsche’s long-standing focus on overall race victories. “Motorsport is our platform for developing future technologies and showcasing the potential of our sports cars,” Laudenbach stated. “With the Porsche 963 in IMSA and the Porsche 99X Electric in Formula E, we aim to keep fighting for overall wins—that’s our heritage and our priority.”
Porsche Penske is on track to secure the 2025 GTP class titles for both drivers and teams at this week’s Petit Le Mans, repeating last year’s success. However, in the manufacturers’ standings, Porsche holds a slim seven-point advantage over Acura.
The impact of Porsche’s factory team withdrawal on next year’s WEC grid remains uncertain. Proton Competition ran a single privateer 963 this season, but regulations require at least two cars per manufacturer. Should Porsche Penske secure the WeatherTech Series team championship as anticipated, it could field two 963s at Le Mans next year, meeting the eligibility criteria.
Porsche is expected to maintain its presence in the WEC’s GT3LM class in 2026, entering Manthey Racing’s two-car team with the new Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo, which will be available to all customer teams. Unlike Hypercar, the GT3LM category does not mandate that a manufacturer field a “halo” team to qualify.
This strategic shift underscores Porsche’s emphasis on North American IMSA racing and electric mobility, while retaining a competitive footprint in GT racing globally.
