2025 WEC Lone Star Le Mans: Porsche Takes Dramatic Victory Amid Challenging Conditions
Circuit of the Americas – Porsche Penske Motorsport’s #6 963, driven by Kevin Estre, Laurens Vanthoor, and Matt Campbell, secured its inaugural victory of the 2025 World Endurance Championship (WEC) season at the Lone Star Le Mans on a rain-soaked track.
The race commenced under safety conditions, with persistent rain leading to significant interruptions: the event featured six safety car deployments, a 42-minute red flag, and limited green flag running totaling just two and a half hours. Estre took command at Turn 1 following a restart with under two hours remaining, overtaking Alessandro Pier Guidi’s #51 Ferrari AF Corse 499P.
The #51 Ferrari controlled significant portions of the race until an early strategic pit maneuver allowed James Calado to take the lead, propelling the #51 into the front. However, Pier Guidi’s front-left puncture—believed to be result of contact with Estre—plummeted the championship leaders outside the top 10, a setback they ultimately mitigated to finish fifth.
Miguel Molina emerged as a standout performance for the #50 Ferrari team, executing a late-race pass on Peugeot’s #94 9X8 to clinch second place. The event concluded with Peugeot securing third and fourth positions across their entries.
The pole-sitting #83 privately-entered Ferrari, hampered by penalties and mechanical issues, finished in seventh. In a noteworthy recovery, the JOTA Cadillacs fared well, with the #38 placing sixth and #12 eighth.
In the LMGT3 category, United Autosports celebrated a significant triumph as Marino Sato’s #95 McLaren GT3 Evo initially crossed the line in second, only to be elevated to first post-race following a time penalty assessed to the #54 Ferrari for a Turn 11 incident. Sato credited the team’s strategic tyre choices and communication, stating, “We made the right choice.”
Jubilant results came for United Autosports, marking McLaren’s first FIA WEC class victory. The #77 Ford, looking strong early, dropped to seventh due to a late decision-time penalty and subsequent tyre strategy miscalculation.
Key Results:
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Hypercar Class:
- 1st: #6 Porsche 963 (Estre, Vanthoor, Campbell)
- 2nd: #50 Ferrari (Molina)
- 3rd: #94 Peugeot (Vandoorne)
- 4th: #93 Peugeot
- 5th: #51 Ferrari (Pier Guidi, recovering from significant delays)
- 7th: #83 Ferrari
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LMGT3 Class:
- 1st: #95 McLaren (Sato, Gelael, Leung)
- 2nd: #54 Ferrari
- 3rd: #46 WRT BMW
This race reiterated the unpredictability of endurance racing, emphasizing strategic acumen amid treacherous conditions. More insights to follow as the season continues.
