Reunion in the Hybrid class: Back to the WEC.

After the farewell of the Porsche 911 RSR from the GTE-Pro class in the 2022 season, we return once more to the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) as Porsche Penske Motorsport with a hybrid prototype – the Porsche 963.

First experiences leave a mark – on races and teams. In 1923, the world stood witness to the first 24-hour race in Le Mans. 47 years later, the Porsche 917 KH scored the first victory in this internationally acclaimed race. It was a race that redefined the history of Porsche. It set the tone for the following decades in the FIA World Endurance Championship.

2023 is a historical year: 100 years of Le Mans and 75 years of Porsche. And the majority of the time was spent together. With 19 overall victories and 109 class victories, Porsche has raised the bar in the WEC. For Porsche, the FIA WEC is like an old friend who brings out the best in them. That’s why we like to show the FIA World Endurance Championship from its best side.

The next step: The Hypercar category.

Since the mid-70s, multiple vehicle categories have participated in the FIA WEC and are subject to varying guidelines. Teams such as Porsche Penske Motorsport consider these guidelines to be a challenge, but also an opportunity: For them, its about developing new technologies for vehicles. A recurring toping in the FIA WEC.

Currently, four vehicle categories are active in the WEC and they mainly focus on the distinction between amateur and professional teams as well as manufacturer and customer teams. For over ten years, teams participated in the categories LMP1, LMP2, GTE Pro and GTE Am. But in 2021 the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) as organizer of the WEC initiated a restructuring.

After twelve years, the GTE Pro category was dissolved at the end of the 2022 season. Porsche also had a moving farewell: In the last race in Bahrain, both 911 RSR bore a special livery with the word “Goodbye” depicted on the front windshield. But this farewell was not for forever: From 2024 onwards, the GT3 Premium category will be introduced. The GTE Am category will continue in 2023 and only retire at the end of the season. Until then, customer racing teams must race in derivates of road vehicles of the manufacturers.

The LMP2 category remains unaffected by the changes: customer racing teams will continue to compete with manufacturer vehicles.

The LMP1 category was abolished in 2021 and replaced with the Hypercar category. Until now, the Alpine Elf Team, Glickenhaus Racing, Peugeot Total Energies and Toyota Gazoo Racing have competed in this category. Since 2022, the Hypercar category is subdivided into two vehicle types: LMH (Le Mans Hypercar) and LMDh (Le Mans Daytona h). LMH type vehicles can only participate in the FIA WEC, while LMDh type vehicles may also participate in the IMSA. To the previously mentioned competition, Ferrari and Cadillac will be joining the grid with a LMDh type vehicle along with customer racing teams entering with their vehicles.

The Porsche 963 also is of the LMDh type – still, the Porsche Penske Motorsport Team will not experience disadvantages against LMH type vehicles. The regulations are tailored to assure fair races.

Our Customer Racing Teams.

We want to promote and shape the new era with LMDh prototypes.

Michael SteinerHead of Research and Development

Familiar tracks for new challenges.

The races of the FIA World Endurance Championship take place on seven racetracks worldwide. For some of the members of the Porsche Penske Motorsport Team, the upcoming tracks are old acquaintances. And the aspiration to race to victory on them remains the same.

1,000 Miles of Sebring

6 Hours of Portimão

6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps

24 Hours of Le Mans

6 Hours of Monza

6 Hours of Fuji

8 Hours of Bahrain

1,000 Miles of Sebring

The horseshoe-shaped Sebring International Raceway is one of the oldest racetracks of the US. Once an Air Force training base during the World War II, it is now the venue for various races – the 1,000 Miles of Sebring among them.

The 1,000 Miles of Sebring are usually held before the 12-hour race and have a maximum runtime of eight hours.

6 Hours of Portimão

The 6 Hours of Portimão are held on the Algarve International Circuit in Portual. Due to multiple changes in elevation and curve combinations, this track has similarity to the Nürburgring and Spa-Francorchamps.

The Grand Prix track contains some technically challenging left-right combinations that, together with the slopes and inclines, lead to a thrilling battle for spots on the podium.

6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps

The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is situated in the southeast of Belgium and a roughly seven kilometer-long track that was twice as long back in the 70ies and contained stretches of public roads.

In modern times, the track is particularly well-known for the Eau Rouge – the second curve right after the start – and the following Raidillon: Before reaching the Eau Rouge the track slopes downward, but upon reaching the lowest point, it enters a steep incline into a curve. Due to this challenging section, this curve received additional runoff areas for the 2022 season.

24 Hours of Le Mans

The 24 Hours of Le Mans are historic and draw a huge audience to the Circuit de la Sarthe in France. During the race, the track includes some public roads still in use when no races are run. This means teams and drivers need to adapt and consider changes in driving surfaces that provide an additional challenge.

For Porsche, the race at the Sarthe river is dear to our hearts. It was the Circuit de la Sarthe, where Porsche Motorsport teams have previously celebrated 19 overall victories – more than any other manufacturer. It was in Le Mans, where Porsche achieved the victory after dramatic races. And it shall be Le Mans once more, where Porsche Penske Motorsport wants to celebrate new records.

6 Hours of Monza

Just a few kilometers beyond Monza in the North of Milan is the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, an almost six kilometer-long racetrack bedded in a lush landscape. The track is known as high-speed track among drivers due to its multiple straights.

The last Porsche victory in Monza during the WEC was in 1985 with the Porsche 962C – a popular vehicle among customer racing teams. Now, almost 40 years later, the 963 is geared to claim a spot on the podium.

6 Hours of Fuji

Located at the foot of Mount Fuji in Japan lies Fuji Speedway – a racetrack utilized in various motorsport events since the 60ies. Over the past decades, the track has experienced multiple changes, but the 1.5 kilometer-long start-finish stretch has remained.

Due to its location, the track tends to be obscured in fog, thus creating difficult track conditions. Luckily, so far only two races had to be stopped due to weather conditions.

8 Hours of Bahrain

The Bahrain International Circuit is a modern racetrack located in the middle Bahrain’s desert sands. For teams and drivers, the surroundings not only pose a challenge due to the temperatures: The wind often blows the desert sand onto the tarmac and reduces vehicle traction.

So far, Porsche only managed to achieve one victory in the desert state – back in 2015 with the 919 Hybrid. The Porsche Penske Motorsport Team aims to change this in 2023.

Reunion among old friends.

Now, the team is back on the tracks where, amongst others, the Porsche 919 achieved a hattrick in Le Mans in the previous top category (LMP1). Back with a hybrid prototype, back to the top category of the FIA World Endurance Championship, back to the highlight called the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The Porsche Penske Motorsport Team is ready for the FIA World Endurance Championship 2023.

WEC

Porsche 963

Penske

LMDh Prototype