Porsche 963s prepped for tests
Proton Competition has officially retired the Huber name and confirmed both Porsche 963 Hypercars are inactive but stored and prepped for future test programmes — team boss Christian Ried says the cars are ready to be run when plans align (dailysportscar.com). That keeps Porsche’s top prototype hardware in play as teams reshuffle ahead of upcoming endurance test windows (dailysportscar.com).
Proton’s own statement on Dec. 5, 2025 confirmed the team will not field a Porsche 963 in the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship, formally closing the door on a full-season Hypercar entry for next year. (proton-competition.com) Team leadership repeatedly cited the inability to assemble a two-car, factory‑approved operation as the core obstacle, with Christian and Michael Ried unable to secure the budget required to expand the programme. (motorsport.com) Porsche Penske Motorsport’s earlier decision to withdraw its factory Hypercar effort — announced in October 2025 — removed a key pathway for customer support and was flagged publicly as a contributing factor to Proton’s collapse of plans. (rennsportreport.com) The official 2026 WEC entry list published in December shows a 35‑car full‑season field and confirms no Porsche 963 entries, reducing Hypercar numbers compared with 2025 and reshaping manufacturer representation for next year. (the-race.com) Swiss veteran Neel Jani said he had committed to a continued Proton Porsche programme before the project unraveled, while previous Proton 963 driver line‑ups had included names such as Jani, Nicolás Pino and Nicolas Varrone during the campaign’s run. (sportscar365.com) The void left by Porsche in Hypercar is partly offset by new arrivals: Genesis Magma Racing submitted two ORECA‑based GMR‑001 LMDh prototypes for 2026, a manufacturer entry that helps preserve class numbers on the published grid. (trackside.media)
