Return On Racing Powered by Vaucher Analytics "A Racing Series Is a Business Model Disguised As a Rulebook" - The Vaucher Analytics State of Motorsport 2025: The WEC and IMSA
Nov 21, 2025
Endurance racing in 2025 shows impressive growth with full grids and record attendance. Key concerns include crowd safety and the financial sustainability of racing series, as costs rise alongside competition. The dominance of Ferrari contrasts with Porsche's struggles as they shift focus to IMSA. A call for better visibility akin to F1 has been made, while GT3 stands as the economic backbone of the sport. The conversation highlights the balance of performance and governance needed to ensure a thriving future in motorsport.
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Endurance Racing's Quiet Renaissance
- The WEC and IMSA delivered sustained organic growth in 2025 across continents despite not matching F1's media dominance.
- Their success stems from strong multi-class racing and clear understanding of their distinct audience value propositions.
Crowd Safety Is Falling Behind
- Crowd safety at large endurance events is an emerging problem despite technical improvements in car and track safety.
- David Vaucher calls for ongoing crowd mitigation studies and stricter enforcement of existing guidelines after Spa observations.
Costs Rise As Performance Improves
- Lap times will fall and costs will rise; organizers must build structures to mitigate escalating expenses.
- Hypercar rules aimed to curb LMP1-era cost escalation and have kept grids healthy even with increased budgets.