Three major global brands, but only one can leave its mark on the 2025 World Constructors’ trophy. This battle promises a dramatic conclusion in the desert this weekend (6-8 November), as the 8 Hours of Bahrain will close out a spectacular season. Arriving at the event — the eighth and final round of the year, 253 days after the lights went out in Qatar to start the season — Ferrari, Porsche, and Cadillac are still in contention for the Constructors’ and Drivers’ titles in the Hypercar class.
The stage for this highly anticipated confrontation is the Bahrain International Circuit — a traditional presence on the FIA WEC calendar, having hosted the category on no fewer than 13 previous occasions.
The track is known for providing intense battles and memorable moments, with its wide layout always favoring good overtaking opportunities. Among the main challenges are the sandy and slippery surface, the transition from day to night racing, and the high temperatures inside the cockpit. The demanding 5.412-meter layout demands a lot from drivers, cars, brakes, and tires, with speeds over 300 km/h on the four long straights and about 60% of the 15-turn lap driven with the driver pressing 100% of the accelerator.
As has been the case throughout the season, it is Ferrari that is leading the way, with a 39-point advantage over Porsche, second in the Constructors’ championship, despite a recent less productive phase. Two of the three Ferrari driver pairs also occupy the top positions in the Drivers’ standings.
The Ferrari 499P won the first four rounds of the year, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, although the red and yellow machines have only made it to the podium once since then — with the #50 car finishing second at the Circuit of The Americas, in Austin — with 66 points still up for grabs in the Middle East, the iconic Maranello brand remains the favorite for the title.
Porsche, however, has not given up the fight — quite the contrary. The traditional German brand arrives in Bahrain buoyed by a win in Austin and podiums achieved by the 963 cars at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Rolex 6 Hours of São Paulo, and the 6 Hours of Fuji.
Cadillac appears as an underdog, with a 61-point deficit to Ferrari, but the American manufacturer and its British partner JOTA Sport have already shown on several occasions their ability to surprise. On inspired days, the V-Series.R has proven unbeatable — as evidenced by its three poles, two front-row lockouts, and dominant win at Interlagos. The performance at the Rolex 6 Hours of São Paulo has qualified the brand to enter the title fight for 2025.
The dispute is even more intense among the drivers. Antonio Giovinazzi, James Calado, and Alessandro Pier Guidi, in the Ferrari #51, lead with a 13-point advantage over the #83 AF Corse car, driven by Robert Kubica, Yifei Ye, and Phil Hanson, winners at Le Mans.
Thanks to a great recovery, current champions Kévin Estre and Laurens Vanthoor have reduced the gap to 21 points after a complicated start to the season. Will Stevens, Norman Nato, and Alex Lynn — the latter, the great highlight of the 2025 qualifying sessions — represent Cadillac, 34 points behind the leaders. The round will also mark the final race of Jenson Button’s career, driver of the #38 V-Series.R, who won the 2009 Bahrain Formula 1 Grand Prix.
Out of the main dispute, Toyota, the 2024 Constructors’ champion, has its last chance to achieve something concrete in 2025, after an atypical season without trophies. Of the 13 races held in Sakhir, Toyota has won ten, including the last eight consecutive ones. Kamui Kobayashi holds the Hypercar lap record, set in 2021, while Sébastien Buemi starred in an impressive performance last year to secure another world title for Toyota, against all odds.
“Bahrain is a special place for me and the team, and I really enjoy racing there,” said Swiss driver Buemi, whose teammate Brendon Hartley has won four of the last five poles at the circuit. “We’ve had a lot of success on this track, but 2024 was particularly memorable. Fighting to win the race and the world championship was an incredible feeling. I know it will be difficult to repeat that this year, but we’ll give it our all to end the season well,” he added.
Everything is open in LMGT3 — Just like in Hypercar, there is a triple dispute in LMGT3, with Porsche, Ferrari, and Corvette in the fight. The Manthey team, a reference in GT, once again leads the championship with the #92 Manthey 1st Phorm Porsche, driven by Richard Lietz, Riccardo Pera, and Ryan Hardwick. They are ahead of the #21 VISTA AF Corse Ferrari of Alessio Rovera, Simon Mann, and François Hériau — an Italian trio that lost seven points due to a late penalty in Japan.
The difference between the two teams is 11 points before the 8 Hours of Bahrain — exactly the difference between first and second place in the race — which promises a “all or nothing” finish.
In the Corvette team, Charlie Eastwood, Rui Andrade, and Tom Van Rompuy arrive excited after the thrilling win in Fuji, which left them 24 points behind the leaders with the #81 yellow and black car.
To increase the suspense even more, 12 months ago the #92 Manthey, then champion, finished only in ninth place in Sakhir, where the podium was occupied precisely by the #21 (then #55) and the #81 Corvette.
Track activities begin with free practice on Thursday, November 6. Qualifying — including the important Top 10 Hyperpole — will take place on Friday, November 7, starting at 10:00 AM (Brasilia time). The race will start on Saturday, November 8, at 8:00 AM (Brasilia time), with online and live coverage on Bandsports, which will also broadcast moments of the race live on its pay channel.
