Proton Competition will not field a Porsche 963 in the WEC in 2026

The project to see the Porsche 963 stay on the grid of WEC The plan to run the car in 2026 under the Proton Competition banner did not materialize. Rumors had been swirling since the 8 Hours of Bahrain, the final round of the 2025 season, but the German team put an end to all speculation this Friday on his Instagram account. In its lengthy farewell message, the German team confirms, however, that " Following the departure of Porsche Penske Motorsport, Christian and Michael Ried explored all possible options to keep two Porsche 963s on the grid next season. »

 

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As already mentioned in recent weeks, the Stuttgart prototype's presence in the WEC relied entirely on a private entry by Proton. However, the Hypercar regulations mandate two cars per manufacturer, requiring a sufficiently robust structure to field them consistently. Christian and Michael Ried's team lacked both the personnel and the budget necessary to undertake such a commitment alone. External support was therefore essential, and the names of Roger Penske and Ferdi Porsche were frequently mentioned. There was also the more practical question of the season's entry fees: who would pay to prepare the application?

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After several weeks of discussions, the verdict was in: no agreement could be finalized. Unfortunately, the conditions necessary for a private entry could not be met. "Proton states in its press release." We would like to express our gratitude to everyone who has been with us throughout this adventure: Ferdi Porsche, FAT, Mustang Sampling, Ken and Brenda Thompson. A huge thank you also to the ACO and LMEM for their unwavering support until the very end. To all Porsche enthusiasts: we know this news will be disappointing. We sincerely hoped to continue seeing the 963 competing in the WEC and the... 24 Hours of Le MansAnd this same passion motivated us to persevere in the search for a solution. Despite everything, we are proud of the progress we have made." , adds the team.

Proton Competition also asserts that This communication concerns only the 963 project. All our other Porsche programs continue to be evaluated in order to define the best possible range for the future of Proton Competition. "The team makes no mention of the Ford Mustangs it operated in the LMGT3 category of the WEC this season." But the American manufacturer confirmed this in the early afternoon. the presence of Ben Tuck and Giammarco Levorato with Proton for the next season.