Manthey has unveiled the pair of Porsches it will field in the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) as the team aims to secure a third consecutive LMGT3 title. The announcement comes in a landmark year for the German squad, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this season.
Since the LMGT3 class debuted in 2024, Manthey has dominated the category. Now, the Eifel-based team plans to continue that momentum with refreshed driver line-ups and two Porsche 911 LMGT3 R entries.
Manthey aiming to maintain dominant start in the LMGT3 era in 2026 WEC with new Porsche line-up
Manthey established itself as the benchmark team in LMGT3 from the moment the category launched. In 2024, Aliaksandr Malykhin, Klaus Bachler and Joel Sturm claimed both the Drivers’ and Teams’ titles during the class’s inaugural campaign.
The team then repeated the achievement in 2025. On that occasion, Richard Lietz, Riccardo Pera and Ryan Hardwick secured the championship, reinforcing Manthey’s reputation as the class leader.
Moreover, the squad has won six of the first 16 LMGT3 races. Most notably, it captured back-to-back victories at the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans, further cementing its endurance racing pedigree.
Experienced line-up leads #92 Porsche entry with fresh line-up for #91
For the 2026 season, Manthey has retained key members of its championship-winning line-up. Richard Lietz and Riccardo Pera will return in search of another Drivers’ title.
Lietz brings vast experience to the team. The Austrian driver previously claimed the LMGTE Pro world title and has secured six class victories at Le Mans. Meanwhile, Pera continues to build his reputation as one of endurance racing’s most promising talents.
Alongside them, Yasser Shahin rejoins Manthey. Notably, Shahin partnered Lietz to victory at Le Mans in 2024. Together, the trio will compete in the #92 Porsche 911 LMGT3 R under the banner “The Bend Manthey”.
Meanwhile, Manthey has assembled a fresh line-up for its sister entry. The #91 “Manthey DK Engineering” Porsche will feature James Cottingham, Timur Boguslavskiy and Ayhancan Güven.
Cottingham arrives with experience from GT racing and previously competed with McLaren machinery. In addition, Boguslavskiy brings championship pedigree after winning the 2023 GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup.
Completing the trio, Porsche factory driver Ayhancan Güven adds strong manufacturer backing. The Turkish racer also enjoyed recent success with Manthey after winning the DTM touring car title with the team last year.
Imola to open the 2026 WEC season
Originally, the 2026 WEC season planned to begin with the Qatar 1812km. However, organisers postponed the event due to the ongoing geopolitical situation in the Middle East.
As a result, the championship will now start at the 6 Hours of Imola in Italy from 17–19 April. Manthey will therefore launch its title defence on European soil as it pursues an unprecedented LMGT3 hat-trick.
With a proven car, experienced drivers and a record of consistent success, Manthey enters the 2026 season as the team to beat in the LMGT3 category.
