Porsche Gears Up for WEC Imola with 963 Hypercar and High Hopes

Discover how Porsche aims to bounce back at WEC Imola with the 963 Hypercar, tech insights, and a motivated driver lineup after Qatar's disappointment.

After a disappointing start to the 2025 season in Qatar, where Porsche Penske Motorsport finished in tenth and eleventh, the team heads into the second round of the FIA World Endurance Championship with renewed determination. Set for April 18–20, the 6 Hours of Imola offers a chance for redemption at one of motorsport’s most iconic and unforgiving circuits.

Porsche comes armed with key advantages: valuable insights from testing at Imola earlier in March and a proven driver lineup. In the No. 5 Porsche 963, Julien Andlauer, Michael Christensen, and Mathieu Jaminet will share duties. The No. 6 car features reigning world endurance champions Kévin Estre and Laurens Vanthoor alongside Matt Campbell joins the team with strong recent form, while teammate Laurens Vanthoor took wins in Daytona, Sebring, and Long Beach.

Technically, the Porsche 963 remains a front-runner in the Hypercar class. It’s powered by a 4.6-liter twin-turbo V8, supported by an 800-volt hybrid system and a carbon monocoque chassis built by Multimatic. Against competitors like Toyota, Ferrari, and Peugeot, the Porsche continues to demonstrate both pace and consistency.

Imola, with its tight run-offs, deep gravel traps, and signature corners like Tamburello and Rivazza, is a proper old-school circuit. Any mistake can be costly. Add in the notoriously changeable April weather, and strategic calls could prove decisive — particularly given limited overtaking opportunities on the narrow layout.

In addition to the factory effort, Porsche’s presence in Imola extends to the customer squad Proton Competition with a Porsche 963 and two Porsche 911 GT3 R crews in the LMGT3 class. These include the all-female Iron Dames team and Manthey 1st Phorm, which fields experienced campaigner Richard Lietz.

Although Porsche has not released specific test results from its March outing, confidence runs high within the camp. As Vice President of Porsche Motorsport Thomas Laudenbach stated, Imola is where the team aims to make its first major statement of the WEC season — with performance to match its high expectations.

Source: porsche.com