Porsche first won the World Sportscar Championship in 1969.
That title was officially contested as the International Championship for Makes, the manufacturer-focused championship within the FIA’s World Sportscar Championship structure. Porsche secured it with the 908/02, a lightweight three-liter sports-prototype that proved exceptionally competitive across the season.
The 1969 campaign featured ten races, including Daytona, Sebring, Monza, the Targa Florio, Spa, the Nürburgring, and the Österreichring. Porsche’s strong results, including major wins by the factory 908 entries, gave it 45 championship points—well ahead of Ford’s 25.
The year is sometimes confused with 1970 because Porsche achieved its first overall victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in that season. That milestone belonged to the Porsche 917, driven by Hans Herrmann and Richard Attwood. The earlier 1969 championship was a manufacturer’s title, not a Le Mans overall win, and it marked Porsche’s first World Sportscar Championship success.