Porsche Hunts Spa Victory: 963 Returns With Formula E Star
Porsche Penske Motorsport travels to Belgium to reignite its FIA World Endurance Championship challenge at the 6 Hours of Spa‑Francorchamps after frustrating weekends in Qatar and Imola. The works outfit wants the Porsche 963 hybrid prototype back on the podium and views round three as crucial preparation for June’s 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Last season, two Porsche 963s from Weissach swept to a commanding one‑two at Spa, and productive test days in early April have strengthened belief in a repeat. Because IMSA commitments prevent Matt Campbell and Mathieu Jaminet from racing, the team has enlisted Formula E champion Pascal Wehrlein and Swiss Formula E racer Nico Müller as high‑profile substitutes.
Wehrlein will share the No. 6 Porsche 963 with reigning world champions Kévin Estre and Belgian star Laurens Vanthoor. At the same time, Müller joins regulars Julien Andlauer and Michael Christensen in the No. 5 sister car. Both newcomers will also serve as reserves for Le Mans.
“I’m thrilled we could offer our Formula E factory drivers a cockpit at Spa and confident that Pascal and Nico will handle the Porsche 963 brilliantly,” states Thomas Laudenbach. The Vice President Porsche Motorsport adds: “After disappointing results in Qatar and Imola, we’re determined to turn things around in time for the season highlight in Le Mans. I’m hoping it’ll be an open, fair, and close race among all manufacturers and teams in Belgium. If this happens, our Porsche Penske Motorsport team has a good chance.”
Urs Kuratle, Director Factory Motorsport LMDh, echoes that optimism: “The Porsche 963 achieved a one-two result at Spa last year, which makes me confident. The data and experience from the 2024 season and the insights from the recent tests in Belgium will help us. In the first three races of this season’s IMSA championship, our Porsche Penske Motorsport team has demonstrated that great successes are possible against fierce rivalry. If every manufacturer competes equally, podium results are within our reach.”
Managing Director Jonathan Diuguid highlights the circuit’s appeal: “Spa is an iconic circuit, which seems to suit the Porsche 963 extremely well,“ he states. “It has been resurfaced since last year's race,
and, from our recent test, the track grip has increased. This is going to lead to quicker lap times. We look forward to the 6 Hours of Spa. It is the closest thing to what we can call a home race for the European-based arm of our team. As a team, many family and friends will be present as well, and we aim to have a strong result, as Spa is the last racing opportunity in the WEC before heading to Le Mans.”
The independent Proton Competition squad continues with its No. 99 Porsche 963 in the Hypercar field. Swiss veteran Neel Jani shares the cockpit with Chilean talent Nico Pino and Argentine Nico Varrone, intent on challenging the factory entries.
Manthey 1st Phorm arrives buoyed by an LMGT3 victory at Imola. Austrian works ace Richard Lietz joins American Ryan Hardwick and Italian Riccardo Pera in the No. 92 Porsche 911 GT3 R. At the same time, the Iron Dames trio of Rahel Frey, Michelle Gatting and Célia Martin aims to build on recent progress in the identical No. 85 machine.
The 7.004‑kilometre Circuit de Spa‑Francorchamps, nicknamed the ‘Ardennes rollercoaster’, winds through the forest near the German border and remains the longest permanent circuit on the WEC calendar. Recent renovations expanded run‑off zones at Eau Rouge–Raidillon, added grandstands and refreshed several sections of asphalt, increasing grip without altering the classic layout.
Julien Andlauer says, “I’m particularly fond of the Spa‑Francorchamps racetrack. I did well there last year in the Proton Competition’s Porsche 963. I hope to be as fast in the Porsche Penske Motorsport factory car this season. We’re determined to be in the running for podium finishes. We were too far off the pace of the frontrunners at the first two races in Qatar and Imola. We need to give it our very best shot.”
Home hero Laurens Vanthoor adds, “As my home race, Spa is one of my favourites on the calendar. We're determined to fight back after our disappointments in Qatar and Imola. The race in Belgium is critical because it’s considered a dress rehearsal for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. We’re expecting more attention, fans, and action, but once the race gets underway, it’ll be like any other. Let’s see what we can achieve.”
Neel Jani reflects on last year’s near‑podium: “We’re returning to Spa with fond memories. Last year was our best race by far. We spent much time in the lead and had a realistic chance of finishing on the podium. Unfortunately, the red flag thwarted our plans. Fifth place was still a decent result, and we’d like to repeat that. Many of our rivals tested in Spa recently, but we didn’t. Based on last year's data, I hope we can find a good setup again.”
Célia Martin, representing Iron Dames, notes, “We scored our first world championship points in Imola, which was a noticeable improvement on the first race of the season. The fact that our sister car won gives us even more of a boost. We’re still in the phase where everything needs to align, but we now have a better idea of our strengths. Imola was well suited to the Porsche 911 GT3 R. While Spa‑Francorchamps is significantly different, we aim for a good result.”
Riccardo Pera concludes, “To win our class at the previous world championship race in Imola gave us a huge boost – especially for me because winning a home race is a dream come true. We’re now heading to Spa‑Francorchamps. The Belgian circuit is one of the most beautiful in the world, so we’re very excited. We aim to continue our top form there.”
