2025 24 Hours of Le Mans
Porsche narrowly missed victory after a dramatic comeback at Le Mans 2025. BMW faced late heartbreak, while Mercedes-AMG encountered a challenging return at the legendary endurance race.
Porsche's Near Triumph, BMW's Heartbreak, and Mercedes-AMG’s Challenges
The 93rd running of the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans delivered drama, heartbreak, and heroics in equal measure. Porsche aimed for its record-breaking 20th victory, BMW returned with high hopes, and Mercedes-AMG marked a significant comeback. Circuit de la Sarthe, as ever, proved why this endurance classic remains the pinnacle of motorsport.
Porsche Penske Motorsport’s Heroic Charge
Porsche entered Le Mans 2025 with a formidable line-up, spearheaded by Porsche Penske Motorsport’s three factory-backed Porsche 963 Hypercars. Alongside them, the customer team at Proton Competition fielded a privateer 963, while Manthey Racing and Iron Dames represented Porsche in LMGT3.
The standout performance belonged to the #6 Porsche 963 of Matt Campbell, Kévin Estre, and Laurens Vanthoor. Following a disqualification in qualifying for being underweight, the car started from the rear of the Hypercar grid, setting the stage for a remarkable fightback. The trio executed a relentless pursuit, cutting through the field to challenge Ferrari until the final minutes.
Kévin Estre described the battle candidly:
“On paper, it looked close because Ferrari made mistakes, but we were never genuinely in contention on outright pace. We maximised everything, forced Ferrari’s errors, I’m immensely proud of our team's resilience.”
Laurens Vanthoor added:
“We ran an absolutely perfect race and almost had one hand on the biggest trophy. It’s heartbreaking coming so close.”
Thomas Laudenbach, Porsche Motorsport Vice President, summed it up:
“We extracted the absolute maximum from the #6 car. Finishing just 14 seconds short of victory illustrates the true spirit of endurance racing.”
Meanwhile, Porsche’s other factory Hypercars faced mixed fortunes. The #5 Porsche 963 of Julien Andlauer, Michael Christensen, and Mathieu Jaminet finished seventh after early tyre issues and night-time penalties ended their podium ambitions. The #4 Porsche, driven by Felipe Nasr, Nick Tandy, and Formula E star Pascal Wehrlein, came ninth, hampered by penalties and ill-timed safety car periods.
Proton Competition’s Resilient Effort
Proton Competition’s privately entered #99 Porsche 963, piloted by Neel Jani, Nicolás Varrone, and rookie Nico Pino, demonstrated impressive grit. Early gains were lost after contact with the #311 Cadillac, followed by further time losses after another gravel trap excursion.
Nico Pino noted:
“The car is weight-sensitive, 5 kg means a tenth of a second. Small margins made our race challenging. Le Mans is brutal, a ‘carnicería’. Our goal was survival.”
The #99 finished a respectable 14th overall, four laps behind the winner, highlighting Proton’s persistence under challenging conditions.
Manthey Racing’s GT Triumph
In the LMGT3 category, Porsche celebrated a commanding victory courtesy of Manthey Racing’s #92 1st Phorm Porsche 911 GT3 R. Drivers Ryan Hardwick, Richard Lietz, and Riccardo Pera controlled the class, marking a second consecutive Le Mans win for Manthey and a sixth for Lietz.
Hardwick described the moment vividly:
“Winning Le Mans is incredible, it’s an experience that stays with you forever.”
Manthey’s second entry, the #90 Porsche driven by Antares Au, Klaus Bachler, and Loek Hartog, secured sixth in class, while Iron Dames experienced a troubled race, finishing 16th after a costly incident.
BMW’s Devastating Conclusion
BMW’s anticipated return with the BMW M Team WRT ended in bitter disappointment. The pair of BMW M Hybrid V8 Hypercars consistently ran within striking distance of the leaders, only to face late mechanical calamities.
The #20 BMW, piloted by Robin Frijns, René Rast, and Sheldon van der Linde, succumbed to engine failure two hours from the end, finishing 18th overall. Simultaneously, the #15 car, driven by Raffaele Marciello, Kevin Magnussen, and Dries Vanthoor, retired due to hybrid cooling system issues, finishing 19th.
In LMGT3, the fan-favourite #46 Team WRT BMW M4 GT3 EVO, driven by Kelvin van der Linde, Valentino Rossi, and Ahmad Al Harthy, retired from class leadership overnight due to total electrical failure. Van der Linde explained:
“Suddenly, everything shut down, power steering failed, and we went straight into the gravel. It was devastating.”
Further BMW disappointment followed as the #31 BMW, driven by Augusto Farfus, Timur Boguslavskiy, and Yasser Shahin, retired after terminal cooling damage caused by an unlikely collision with wildlife.
Farfus said:
“At Le Mans, victory chooses you. Today wasn’t our day.”
Mercedes-AMG’s Challenging Return
Mercedes-AMG Motorsport returned to Le Mans in partnership with Iron Lynx, entering three AMG GT3 Evos, liveried in homage to their historic 1989 Sauber-Mercedes victory.
The leading #61 AMG GT3 Evo, driven by Luca Stolz, Daniel Juncadella, and Jules Gounon, endured a tough race, ultimately finishing 12th in class. The #60 car retired early due to gearbox failure, while the #63 car, piloted by Maxi Buhk, Lucas Auer, and Maro Engel, battled mechanical issues to finish 15th.
Stolz acknowledged the challenge:
“Returning here is special, but technical setbacks limited our competitiveness. We’ve learned valuable lessons.”
Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Head Christoph Sagemüller emphasised commitment despite the difficulties:
“Our return to Le Mans was significant. Results were not what we hoped, but our dedication remains strong.”
Cross-Discipline Feats and Notable Debuts
The 2025 race saw exceptional cross-disciplinary entries. Formula E champion Pascal Wehrlein made his Le Mans debut with Porsche, highlighting increased parity between electric racing and endurance events.
Moreover, Maxime Martin began an unprecedented endurance challenge at Le Mans, the first of three consecutive weekends competing at Le Mans, Nürburgring, and Spa.
Conclusion: Drama, Spirit, Endurance
Le Mans 2025 will be remembered for Porsche’s near-perfect recovery, BMW’s heartbreaking late-race mechanical failures, and Mercedes-AMG’s challenging but determined return. Each story, uniquely compelling, epitomises the relentless spirit and unpredictability that define this epic race. Porsche missed its historic milestone by mere seconds, BMW’s promising comeback ended abruptly, and Mercedes-AMG found a challenging but educational return.
Circuit de la Sarthe once again proved why the 24 Hours of Le Mans endures as motorsport’s greatest test.
