WEC News: Penske Porsche races to first victory of season at wet COTA
Porsche Penske Motorsport celebrated its first victory of the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) season at the Lone Star Le Mans event at Circuit of the Americas (COTA). The #6 Porsche 963 (pictured), driven by Kévin Estre, Laurens Vanthoor, and Matt Campbell, triumphed in challenging, mostly wet conditions to claim the six-hour race.
Unseasonal Texas rain forced the race to start behind the safety car, with a red flag halting proceedings before the one-third mark. When racing resumed, the #83 and #51 Ferraris, starting on the front row, initially led the 18-car Hypercar field. Vanthoor, in the #6 Porsche, kept pace in third, moving to second after Philip Hanson’s #83 Ferrari lost over 30 seconds in a pit-stop delay.
Matt Campbell’s steady middle stint set the stage for Estre’s decisive move near the four-hour mark. Capitalizing on a hesitant safety car restart by Ferrari’s Alessandro Pier Guidi, Estre darted into Turn 1 to seize the lead. The Frenchman was untouchable thereafter, rebuilding his advantage after each neutralization and crossing the finish line nearly 10 seconds ahead of the #50 Ferrari. Peugeot celebrated a milestone, securing third and fourth for their best-ever WEC result.
“The conditions were tough, especially as the track dried,” Estre said. “The Ferrari behind pushed us hard, and deciding whether to switch to slicks was tricky. I trusted the team’s call, and it feels amazing to be back on top where we belong.”
McLaren’s Breakthrough in LMGT3
In the LMGT3 class, VISTA AF Corse’s Ferrari 296 appeared poised for a dramatic victory until a late penalty shifted the outcome. Proton Competition’s #77 Ford Mustang, a standout in qualifying, led much of the race.
As conditions dried in the final stages, several teams gambled on slick tires. With under five minutes remaining, Davide Rigon overtook Ben Barker to take the lead, but contact earned Rigon a five-second penalty, handing United Autosports’ #95 McLaren its first-ever FIA WEC win.
The race showcased strategic brilliance and adaptability, with Porsche Penske and McLaren capitalizing on critical moments to etch their names into COTA’s 2025 story.