Porsche Penske Motorsport will end its participation in the FIA World Endurance Championship when the season concludes in Bahrain on November 8. The Stuttgart manufacturer announced this decision on Tuesday, October 7, which saves more than 50 million euros annually, while confirming the continuation of the 963 LMDh program in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and Formula E until the Gen4 era.

"We very much regret that, due to the current circumstances, we will not continue our participation in the WEC after this season," stated Michael Steiner, Member of the Executive Board responsible for Research and Development at Porsche AG. Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President of Porsche Motorsport, had described confirming 2026 participation during the Austin round in September as "premature".

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90% Financial Crisis Forces Choice Between WEC and IMSA

Porsche's profits plummeted by approximately 90% in the second quarter of 2025 compared to the same period in 2023. The crisis is due to three factors: the collapse of the Chinese market in premium segments, US tariffs, and a bet on electrification without sufficient market support.

CEO Oliver Blume announced a plan in July to reduce the workforce by 10% before 2029, adjusting sales projections to a maximum of 250,000 units annually, well below the more than 300,000 units in 2024. Blume will leave his dual role at Porsche AG to focus exclusively on the Volkswagen Group.

Leaving only the WEC while maintaining IMSA represents savings of over 50 million euros per year. The financial reality forced a choice between the two LMDh programs, and sporting results along with technical factors defined which one to keep.

LMH Disadvantage vs. LMDh and Complaints About Balance of Performance

Porsche competes in the WEC under LMDh regulations while Ferrari uses LMH rules, which allow greater technical development freedom. Ferrari has won four of the six WEC races in 2024, creating advantages that are reflected in the Balance of Performance applied by the organizers.

Laudenbach made an indirect reference to the Balance of Performance during Austin: "We have seen many results that are questionable," the executive stated. He specifically cited Le Mans 2024, where the #6 Porsche Penske Motorsport with Kevin Estre, Laurens Vanthoor and Matt Campbell finished second, 14 seconds behind the winning Ferrari.

"A second place is not bad if you look at the competition we have out there. But on the other hand, it hurt, because the #6 car came very close to what I would call a perfect race. Honestly, the #6 should have won the race," explained Laudenbach.

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In IMSA, all GTP participants -except for Aston Martin- compete under LMDh regulations, creating more balanced conditions. Laudenbach is known for defending IMSA regulations over those of the WEC.

IMSA Offers Better Results Than WEC

Porsche Penske Motorsport leads the 2025 GTP standings in IMSA with 2,582 points (#6) and 2,451 (#7), ahead of the Motul Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta this weekend. In the WEC, the situation is different: Porsche has accumulated 165 points in the manufacturers' championship, 39 behind Ferrari.

The manufacturer chooses to stay where it occupies the top two positions rather than in a series where it is chasing the Italian leader and has expressed public discontent with the Balance of Performance. Winning the IMSA title also guarantees automatic entry into Le Mans 2026.

"We use motorsport as a development platform for future technology and to illustrate the potential of our sports cars," Laudenbach noted. "With the Porsche 963 in IMSA and the Porsche 99X Electric in Formula E, we want to continue fighting for overall victories in the future. That is our tradition."

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Fourth Manufacturer to Leave Hypercar Since 2021

Porsche joins a trend of manufacturers that have left the Hypercar category since its implementation. Lamborghini announced its exit from the WEC for 2025, citing the new regulation that requires running two cars for the full season. The Italian brand subsequently confirmed its withdrawal from IMSA for 2026.

Isotta Fraschini withdrew during 2024, with its Tipo 6 LMH disappearing from the grid due to contractual disputes with the Duqueine team. Glickenhaus Racing withdrew its SCG 007 LMH program at the end of 2023 due to financial and logistical factors, while Vanwall Racing was not accepted for 2024 for failing to meet the selection criteria.

The LMH/LMDh regulation, designed to attract multiple manufacturers through lower costs than the LMP1 era, has seen four departures in four years of operation.