Endurance Weekly: 23rd - 29th October
- DIVEBOMB Endurance Team
- 6 hours ago
- 5 min read
This week on Endurance Weekly, the DIVEBOMB Endurance Team predicts the winners of the upcoming World Endurance Championship (WEC) finale, the 8 Hours of Bahrain, while also recapping all of the news you may have missed in the last week.
WEC - Predictions
Aaron
Hypercar - No.6 Porsche Penske Motorsport
Maybe I'm just a fan of a fairy-tale ending, but I think I do genuinely believe they can do it. The key word there is 'think', WEC post Le Mans this year has been insanely unpredictable, I do think you could make a case for any manufacturer on the grid to win this race.
But Porsche stand out to me. Kevin Estre, Matt Campbell and Laurens Vanthoor are the three names that come to mind when you think of Porsche and endurance racing. Estre and Vanthoor sealed the title here last year, and I think they can overcome the No.51 Ferrari and do it again.
LMGT3 - No.81 TF Sport Corvette
There is an obvious pick for the win here, the No.92. But if you've seen some of my predictions from the previews on our Instagram this year, you'll know I'm not a fan of the obvious pick.
Charlie Eastwood, Rui Andrade and Tom Van Rompuy are the outside shot for the championship, and as much as my Irish bias wants to say they can do it, they're still the outside shot. They might not take home the title, but this trio can definitely cap off the season with back to back wins.
Ghazlan
Hypercar - No.7 Toyota Gazoo Racing
After Le Mans, we saw different winners in each round, so why not Toyota? There are plenty of things that can happen in eight hours, and my pick goes to their No.7 car. This is a wild pick, but hear me out.
The reigning Manufacturers' Champions have yet to feature on the podium this season due to several factors. No team would be more desperate and determined to get their car to the top step of the podium than the Japanese outfit.
Their GR010 Hybrid is the oldest Hypercar, but it remains able to demonstrate solid pace to its younger rivals. The No.7 is also piloted by a stable, strong, and experienced lineup with Kamui Kobayashi, Mike Conway and Nyck de Vries.
Time has shown how Toyota managed to defy the odds. Last year, they took the win in Bahrain to seal the title after a difficult season. Did I mention that the venue is Toyota's favourite? They have 10 wins here, more than any manufacturer. As Conway said: "Don't give up on us."
LMGT3 - No.92 Manthey 1st Phorm Porsche
It is never easy to predict who will top the LMGT3 class, but I'd go with the No.92 Manthey Porsche, the only multiple-time LMGT3 race winner this year.
The blue Porsche 911 GT3 R is always a good all-around car on any track. They have yet to return to the podium since their Le Mans victory, but consistent points finishes kept them at the top of the standings.
Undoubtedly, the German team want to close the campaign with another win and potentially, the championship.
Sharifah
Hypercar - No.5 Porsche Penske
As much as I wanted to see a certain Japanese team to close their disastrous 2025 campaign with a surprise win, that may need a huge amount of luck to achieve it. So I'd go with the No.5 Porsche to finally take their first win of the season in Bahrain.
The German marque has been Ferrari’s closest competitor throughout the year, especially after sister car No.6 Porsche's win in Austin. The No.5 crew even finished strong in second place last year in Sakhir. This victory could also be a great way to close Porsche's chapter in the Hypercar class before its exit.
LMGT3 - No.92 Manthey 1st Phorm Porsche
My prediction would be the No.92 Porsche as the LMGT3 winner for the season finale. They seem to perform well in tracks with various conditions, including the ones with high tyre degradation (e.g. Austin) compared to other strong contenders such as No.21 Ferrari and No.81 Corvette.
Besides, both Riccardo Pera and Richard Lietz are well-versed when it comes to racing in Bahrain, previously securing podiums from the 2019 to 2021 seasons. So their contributions for this round would be a great catalyst for the No.92 Porsche to pick up their third win of the season and celebrate as champions for the LMGT3 class.
Benjamin
Hypercar - No.6 Porsche Penske
There is a chance this prediction is influenced by an element of wishful thinking, but in the modern era of WEC anyone can win - so why not predict the happy ending. Porsche Penske recently announced their 2026 absence in the Championship, meaning Bahrain will be their final outing.
The No.6 team have a shot at winning the title, however it's a little far fetched as they need to outscore their Italian rivals by 21 points. Considering Porsche's previous run of form (the car's worst result since Spa is 4th place) Estre, Vanthoor and Campbell have to be the favourites to win the race. It would be the perfect end to a brilliant stint in the WEC.
LMGT3 - No.33 TF Sport Corvette
The No.33 TF Sport Corvette started the season well in Qatar when they won the first round of the season. Despite their best efforts, drivers Ben Keating, Daniel Juncadella and Jonny Edgar failed to score points in three rounds since Qatar and finished seventh in the other three rounds.
The No.33 is currently sat in fourth place in the Championship, but will need a big haul of points to beat the sister car into the top three in the Championship. Sitting 15 points behind the No.81 Corvette, a repeat win in the Middle East will give the No.33 its best shot at breaking into the podium spots of the Championship.
News Recap
WEC
Laurin Heinrich to make Hypercar debut in Bahrain
Porsche GT star Laurin Heinrich has received the call-up to Porsches factory Hypercar team for the final round in Bahrain.
He will take over the seat in the No.5 car which was orignally held by Michael Christensen, but the Dane was replaced by Mathieu Jaminet in Fuji too, possibly signalling the end of his time in the Porsche 963.
Intercontinental GT Challenge (IGTC)
Corvette to make Bathurst 12 Hour return in 2026
Last Thursday, Corvette announced that the Z06 GT3.R will make its Bathurst 12 Hour debut in 2026, the brands first appearance in the race since 2013.
No information has been released regarding the team running the car or the drivers involved, but it seems likely that Johor Motorsports JMR will field a one or two car entry in February.
