Porsche Penske Motorsport claimed its first win of the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship at Circuit of The Americas, while United Autosports delivered McLaren’s maiden LMGT3 victory in a dramatic and penalty-laced showdown.
Estre, Vanthoor & Campbell Triumph for Porsche – McLaren Grabs Breakthrough LMGT3 Win
In the Hypercar class, the #6 Porsche 963 of Kévin Estre, Laurens Vanthoor, and Matt Campbell fought through changing conditions and fierce Ferrari pressure to claim a long-awaited win. A perfectly executed race and late-race pressure paid off for the Penske squad. They edged out the #51 Ferrari AF Corse 499P of James Calado and Antonio Giovinazzi, with the #50 sister car rounding out the podium.
Over in LMGT3, the #95 United Autosports McLaren 720S GT3 Evo crossed the line second but inherited victory after a five-second penalty was applied to the #21 VISTA AF Corse Ferrari, which had taken the lead late in the race. The #59 McLaren secured third, sealing a dream result for the British brand.
Race Action Recap: Strategy, Spins & Penalties Shake Up COTA
The Lone Star Le Mans got off to a wet and wary start—running under the safety car from the drop of the green flag as steady rain and poor visibility delayed full racing. After an initial hour behind the safety car, conditions deteriorated further, forcing a 40-minute red-flag suspension. Racing only resumed under caution before finally going green after nearly two hours.
Hypercar saw early chaos and a shuffled deck after barrier repairs paused the action. Ferrari AF Corse looked dominant mid-race, but a slow pit stop for the #83 opened the door for the #6 Porsche. Despite pressure from Giovinazzi’s Ferrari, Campbell held his nerve to seal the win. Toyota and Aston Martin struggled, with spins and penalties hampering their races, while Peugeot impressed with a strong run to sixth.
In LMGT3, Proton’s Mustang led early but couldn’t fend off United Autosports and VISTA AF Corse. Hard battling and tire strategy shaped the middle stint, with contact and penalties proving decisive. The Iron Dames and Manthey Porsches clashed in a fierce fight for fifth, while TF Sport’s Corvette and WRT’s BMW both dropped back due to penalties and mechanical trouble.
Championship Standings
Hypercar (Top 5; after COTA)
1. Ferrari – 203 points
2. Porsche – 138 points
3. Cadillac – 134 points
4. Toyota – 99 points
5. BMW – 74 points
Trophy Standings
LMGT3 (Top 5; after COTA)
1. Manthey 1st Phorm – 95 points
2. VISTA AF Corse – 76 points
3. TF Sport – 66 points
4. Akkodis ASP – 57 points
5. Heart of Racing – 57 points