Porsche is set to wrap up its factory operation in the IMSA SportsCar Championship's GTP class at the conclusion of 2027, as Motorsport.com's sister title Motorsport-Total.com reports.
This outcome stems from a choice made a year ago. Under the original agreement, Penske was slated to run Porsche's 963 LMDh as a factory entry for one additional season in both IMSA and the World Endurance Championship before the programme concluded. However, during discussions regarding winding down the project, Porsche elected to terminate its Hypercar campaign—including the 24 Hours of Le Mans—at the end of 2025. In exchange, Penske secured the right to act as Porsche's factory squad in the US for one year longer than initially planned.
And when you are at the table as a manufacturer discussing technical regulations, you have to look at them from a technical perspective. And that is what we are doing.
That call made practical sense for the Volkswagen Group brand. In the WEC, Porsche felt it stood little chance of fighting the superior Le Mans Hypercars with its LMDh prototype, whereas the US remains a crucial market for the company. When pressed on the matter, a Porsche spokesperson told Motorsport-Total.com: "We will be competing in IMSA with our factory programme in 2027. We will not comment on any further speculation."
Meanwhile, fascinating things are brewing behind closed doors at Penske. The organization founded by motorsport legend Roger Penske is investigating a potential return to the WEC and Le Mans as soon as next year utilizing a privately-entered Cadillac. Winning the French endurance classic outright remains a glaring omission from the resume of the 89-year-old motorsport executive. With Jota currently fielding a pair of Cadillac V-Series.R on a factory basis in the WEC, and IMSA regular Action Express heading to Le Mans with a Cadillac in 2027 (while Wayne Taylor Racing will not return after 2025 and 2026 entries), room could theoretically open up for a fourth, privately entered Cadillac managed by Penske.
Even so, hurdles remain for a full WEC campaign. Information obtained by Motorsport-Total.com indicates a Penske Cadillac entry at Le Mans in 2027 is highly likely, but a full WEC season would probably arrive too early, particularly given the regulation requirement to enter two cars. Furthermore, Porsche's stance points to its IMSA programme continuing in 2027 with no alternative factory partner to Penske, making an early switch to Cadillac in IMSA unlikely before the Porsche contract expires.
Crucially, an end to Porsche's factory effort does not spell the immediate disappearance of the Porsche 963 from IMSA, as privateer teams can continue racing the Multimatic-developed prototype. JDC-Miller campaigned a 2025-spec 963 in IMSA this year, taking a victory at Laguna Seca with Laurin Heinrich and Tijmen van der Helm.
Looking further ahead, a medium-term prototype comeback in the top WEC class and at Le Mans is not entirely off the table for Porsche. Organizers at this year's Le Mans previewed a common technical rulebook slated for 2030 to replace the current Balance of Performance battle between Le Mans Hypercar and LMDh concepts, with Cadillac and Porsche viewed as driving forces behind those talks. "A decision on whether, when and how we will return has not been made, but we are involved in the discussions," Porsche motorsport boss Thomas Laudenbach confirms. "And when you are at the table as a manufacturer discussing technical regulations, you have to look at them from a technical perspective. And that is what we are doing." At present, however, Porsche is not developing a new car.
