Why the FIA WEC's milestone race was one for the books

It felt almost poetic that the FIA World Endurance Championship’s 100th race, Sunday’s 6 Hours of Fuji, turned out to be the most dramatic and engaging contest of the 2025 season so far.

What unfolded over six chaotic, breathless hours left the paddock buzzing with storylines that stretch across both categories, all while sharpening the focus on next month’s season finale in Bahrain.

For Alpine, it was a day to remember. Ferdinand Habsburg, Paul-Loup Chatin, and Charles Milesi claimed their first-ever top-class victories in the WEC, delivering the French brand’s first Hypercar win since Monza 2022.

The triumph marked several milestones: the maiden global win for the A424, a third consecutive victory for an LMDh prototype following Cadillac and Porsche’s successes at Interlagos and CoTA, respectively, and the first WEC win for the ORECA-developed LMDh chassis.

Team principal Philippe Sinault, sporting director Nicolas Lapierre, and all three drivers were visibly emotional as the car took the chequered flag – hardly surprising given the rollercoaster nature of their afternoon.

The No. 35 Alpine had seemed out of the running after contact with Toyota’s No. 8 led to a stop-go penalty and a front clip change. Yet a perfectly timed pit stop before a full-course yellow and a late tire gamble swung momentum back their way, with Milesi holding his nerve under pressure to secure victory.

"We knew it was going to be difficult to overtake on track, so we decided to do it differently than the others (on tire strategy)," Lapierre told RACER. "It was perfect, we got in front, had a faster warm up and managed the gap; the Porsche and the Peugeot fighting helped us a bit.

"We had good pace in practice, but qualifying was disappointing, and so many things happened at the beginning of the race. We made mistakes that cost us. It was difficult, but the full-course yellow came at the right time; it brought us back in the game for the win.

"Last year we got a first podium with the car, this year we got a first win, and it was essential for us. We've struggled for results; we couldn't put everything together, so this win comes as the perfect result at the perfect time."

While Milesi and Chatin admitted their disbelief at the turnaround, Habsburg revealed he had faith the result was coming before any of the Alpine team boarded a flight to Japan.

"I anticipated this. I was convinced we were going to win here a week ago," he said. "I didn't know how, but I knew it. I'm a guy who prays a lot. I've never prayed so much for a win. Ten days ago, I had a feeling I had to start praying. I don't know if this stuff works, but it continues to prove to me that it does."

Alpine’s breakthrough will be remembered as the defining moment of the WEC's 100th bout. But beyond the celebrations, the race recast the championship battles in both classes.

Ferrari endured a nightmare in Hypercar, leaving the championship picture far more open than expected.

Despite nursing heavy right-side damage for much of the race, Le Mans winners Robert Kubica, Yifei Ye, and Phil Hanson in the yellow privateer No. 83 Ferrari salvaged ninth place after a post-race penalty demoted Peugeot’s No. 94. Their gritty drive earned them a net gain of two points on the leaders in the No. 51 factory Ferrari, reducing the gap to 13.

Antonio Giovinazzi, James Calado, and Alessandro Pier Guidi had their race undone by two track-limits penalties, much to the frustration of Ferrari race and test team manager Giuliano Salvi.

"The track limits are something we need to revise internally, as we didn't have the information, something on our side that didn't go through. It was strange, usually we have the information and advise the drivers to take care," he explained.

"I can't say if there was anything on the IT system. We were warned when it was too late, and I don't have an explanation."

Porsche, meanwhile, capitalized. Laurens Vanthoor and Kevin Estre charged from 17th on the grid to finish third, keeping themselves in title contention just 21 points behind with 39 still on the table.

In the Manufacturers’ standings, the story is similar: Ferrari’s margin has shrunk to 39 points, Porsche’s third and fourth-place finishes kept the German marque in the fight, as 66 points are still up for grabs in Bahrain.

"We expected a damage limitation race; I never thought a podium was possible," Salvi admitted. "We thought more points were possible, but we didn't think we'd close the championship here. It will be a good show and finale in Bahrain."

The LMGT3 fight has tightened, too. Vista AF Corse’s Simon Mann, Francois Heriau, and Alessio Rovera fought to second place, leaving them 11 points adrift of Ryan Hardwick, Richard Lietz, and Riccardo Pera, who slipped to fifth after the final safety car destroyed their 20-second lead.

"We did everything right to win this race; it went right on the pit lane, and we controlled the race," Hardwick said. "That final safety car just hurt us; we lost a 20-second lead, and in the championship, we've lost ground. What's frustrating is that I thought it was over; I thought we were winning and would close the title early. But that's how it goes, we still have the lead (in the points) and I've been here before with safety cars."

Vista AF Corse’s own five-second penalty late on softened the blow for Manthey 1st Phorm, but seven points were still lost.

Further back, TF Sport ensured LMGT3 is far from a two-horse race. Rui Andrade, Charlie Eastwood, and Tom Van Rompuy’s dramatic victory in the No. 81 Corvette promoted them to third in the standings, 24 points behind.

So the WEC’s milestone race delivered not just history, but also set the stage for an epic climax. With all major titles still undecided and 1.5x points up for grabs, the final chapter in the Bahraini desert is finely poised.