Porsche close to confirming its withdrawal from the WEC

As we announced to you in issue 2123 of AUTOhebdo dated July 19, Porsche would be in the process of communicating about his withdrawal from the WEC in the LMP1 category at the end of this 2017 season. The Stuttgart manufacturer could confirm this news in the next 24 hours, a meeting having been held in Stuttgart this week to ratify this choice.

After winning three consecutive victories at 24 Hours of Le Mans with the 919 Hybrid, Porsche would therefore follow its cousin Audi a year later by leaving the premier category of the WEC. According to our information obtained in the paddock of the 6 Hours of the Nürburgring in mid-July, a two-person duel – face to face Toyota in this case – no longer seems to justify the importance of the sums committed in the WEC, especially since the 2020 technical regulations unveiled at Le Mans did not seem to reassure Porsche managers on this point.

The Stuttgart manufacturer would turn towards a commitment in Formula e, probably from 2019, which would fit with the brand's future projects, namely the launch in 2020 of a 100% electric production car. She would find Audi there, but also its Premium competitors which are Mercedes and BMW who have also validated their official arrivals.

Finally, speculation about an upcoming arrival in Formula 1, as engine manufacturer of Red Bull as well as McLaren, are getting stronger. We will know more in the coming hours or days.