Porsche Penske Motorsport faced a challenging race during the third round of the FIA World Endurance Championship at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. The best-performing Porsche 963 hybrid prototype, driven by Kévin Estre, Laurens Vanthoor, and Pascal Wehrlein, finished in ninth place, while the sister car, piloted by Michael Christensen, Julien Andlauer, and Nico Müller, secured a twelfth-place finish. In the LMGT3 class, the two Porsche 911 GT3 R vehicles from Manthey 1st Phorm and the Iron Dames team managed to collect valuable championship points.
The six-hour race, held on May 10, 2025, featured a turbulent atmosphere marked by three safety car deployments and numerous yellow flags. The event unfolded under the sunny skies of Belgium, attracting nearly 100,000 passionate spectators. "It was a challenging race for us, but we fought hard despite the circumstances," said Kévin Estre, who noted the intense competition present throughout the event.
The No. 6 Porsche 963 started strong, quickly moving from twelfth to seventh place. However, after an early pit stop, it dropped to eleventh. In the latter portion of the race, it managed to climb back into the top six, before finishing ninth. The trio driving the No. 6 car consists of Estre, the defending champion in the FIA World Endurance Championship, local hero Vanthoor, and Wehrlein, who recently claimed the 2024 FIA Formula E championship title.
Meanwhile, the No. 5 Porsche encountered difficulties from the start. "We had to overcome a significant setback when our starting driver was pushed off track by another car on the opening lap," explained Andreas Seidl, team principal at Porsche Penske Motorsport. Andlauer, after spinning out, started from the back of the field at P18. Yet the driver displayed remarkable skill, moving up to twelfth before the first fuel stop on lap 25.
The racing dynamics shifted for the No. 5 car as the Swiss driver Nico Müller took over, propelling the vehicle to seventh position. A strategic splash-and-dash pit stop drove them to a promising third place with just an hour remaining. However, a subsequent pit stop for a second time with Michael Christensen at the wheel ended their hopes for a podium, leading to a disappointing twelfth-place finish. "That was another disappointing result for us and not what we expected," said Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President of Porsche Motorsport. "The team put in another good effort, even if we may not have done everything perfectly. We need to acknowledge that the conditions for a better result weren’t there."
Retirement was unfortunate for another Porsche, fielded by the customer team Proton Competition, which was forced to retire on lap 22 due to a transmission issue. The hybrid prototype had managed to return to the pits operating solely in electric mode before the retirement, showcasing the car's capabilities despite the setback.
On a more positive note, the LMGT3 class saw the 911 GT3 R from Manthey 1st Phorm briefly leading the category. Despite an early spin that dropped starting driver Ryan Hardwick from seventh to twelfth, the team recovered remarkably. "We fought back through the race, and I’m pleased with how we handled the challenges," said Hardwick. The team’s collective effort culminated in a seventh-place finish, securing important World Championship points.
The Iron Dames team, known for their strong presence in endurance racing, also had an impressive outing, leading to tenth place and their first world championship point of the 2025 WEC season. "It’s exhilarating to see our hard work paying off," remarked Célia Martin, who executed a brilliant run from 13th to a top-ten position early in the race.
Looking ahead, the fourth round of this year’s FIA World Endurance Championship is set to feature the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans on June 14-15 at the legendary Circuit des 24 Heures. As Porsche prepares for this prestigious event, the lessons learned from the Spa race will be crucial for the team's strategy.
