2025 FIA WEC Season Finale: 8 Hours of Bahrain Preview
The 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) wraps up this weekend at the Bahrain International Circuit, marking its 14th appearance and 10th as the season finale. The event will once again unfold under the floodlights, and with an eight-hour race format, drivers will vie for a higher allocation of championship points.
Hypercar Championship Overview
Four contenders remain in the fight for the Drivers’ World Championship in the Hypercar class. The #51 Ferrari AF Corse 499P, driven by Alessandro Pier Guidi, Antonio Giovinazzi, and James Calado, leads the standings after occupying the top spot since Imola. Despite four podiums in the early season, a decline post-Le Mans—where they registered only one top-10 finish—has narrowed their lead to just 13 points over the #83 Ferrari, which features 24 Hours of Le Mans winners Phil Hanson, Robert Kubica, and Ye Yifei.
The form team is the #6 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963, piloted by Kévin Estre and Laurens Vanthoor, alongside Matt Campbell. After recovering from a challenging start with notable performances—including a COTA win and a podium from 17th at Fuji—their deficit has diminished from 69 points to 21.
The #12 Cadillac Hertz Team Jota V-Series.R, driven by Alex Lynn, Norman Nato, and Will Stevens, stands as the longest shot, needing a race win to remain in title contention, currently trailing by 34 points.
Manufacturers’ Championship Dynamics
In the Manufacturers’ Championship, Toyota’s six-year reign will end following the previous round at Fuji. Ferrari, Porsche, and Cadillac are still in contention, with Ferrari holding a strong 39-point lead over Porsche. This race could decide Ferrari’s first prototype manufacturers’ title in over five decades, contingent on maintaining a solid performance.
Porsche adjusts its #5 crew, introducing Laurin Heinrich, a 2024 IMSA GTD Pro champion, alongside Julien Andlauer and Mathieu Jaminet. Cadillac faces a significant challenge at 61 points behind Ferrari.
Technical Insights
The Balance of Performance (BoP) adjustments for the race show Ferrari’s 499Ps will race five kilograms lighter, while Porsche’s 963s are increased by four kilograms with power reductions. Cadillac’s V-Series.R has seen the most substantial adjustments, adding four kilograms and facing significant reductions in energy and power.
Additional Competitors and LMGT3 Title Battle
Toyota, seeking to avoid a winless season, along with the Alpine Endurance Team and the debuting drivers from Peugeot (Théo Pourchaire) and Aston Martin (Ross Gunn, Roman De Angelis), round out the competitive field. BMW M Team WRT aims to recover from mechanical issues experienced earlier in the season.
In LMGT3, the championship race is tight among Manthey, AF Corse, and TF Sport, with Manthey’s #92 Porsche currently leading. With only 11 points separating first and second, the stakes are high. Notably, the #21 AF Corse Ferrari must secure a victory to clinch the title, while TF Sport’s #81 Corvette, equipped with success ballast, remains a challenger.
Event Details
The 8 Hours of Bahrain will take place from November 6-8, featuring practice sessions leading into a defining race that commences at 14:00 AST on Saturday. With the competition at its peak and multiple championship battles underway, this season finale promises intense action under the iconic Bahraini skyline.
For a complete entry list and evolving details, the motorsport community is eager to witness this thrilling conclusion to the 2025 WEC season.
