Yasser Shahin praised The Bend Manthey’s resilience and team spirit after securing Porsche’s first LMGT3 victory of the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) season at the 6 Hours of Barcelona. The Australian reflected on the importance of overcoming earlier setbacks as he celebrated a commanding performance alongside Riccardo Pera and Richard Lietz.
The #92 Porsche 911 GT3 R dominated much of the penultimate round, taking the lead during the opening hour before eventually finishing 4.750 seconds ahead of the #10 Garage 59 McLaren. The result ended Porsche’s longest winless streak in LMGT3, which stretched back to the 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Shahin also received the Goodyear Wingfoot Driver of the Race award following an impressive opening stint in difficult weather conditions. The victory made The Bend Manthey the seventh different LMGT3 race winner of the season and strengthened its championship challenge ahead of the final round at Monza.
Shahin relishes mixed conditions during dominant Barcelona victory
The race began on a wet Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, presenting an immediate challenge after two days of dry running during practice and qualifying.
Although Garage 59’s Antares Au initially maintained the LMGT3 lead from pole position, Shahin quickly demonstrated the Porsche’s competitiveness in the changing conditions. The Australian moved ahead during the opening hour and established an advantage that his teammates maintained throughout the race.
Speaking after the victory, Shahin highlighted his enjoyment of the challenging conditions and credited Manthey’s preparation for the team’s performance.
“I’m a big fan of mixed conditions and I like driving in the rain. The car obviously performs very well in the wet, too, so it all came together quite nicely. We’d also tested here, which was a big advantage, so we were confident going in and it was just one of those races where everything went right. Before I got into the car, Richard [Lietz] said to me, ‘I’m jealous, because these are the conditions a driver wants to drive in’ – and he was right!”
The conditions suited Shahin’s driving style, allowing him to establish control before handing the Porsche over to Pera and Lietz. Despite several interruptions and a drying circuit, the crew maintained its advantage to secure a much-needed victory.
Shahin reflects on Le Mans disappointment and Manthey’s resilience
While Barcelona marked The Bend Manthey’s first victory of 2026, Shahin acknowledged that the team’s season had included several difficult moments.
The #92 crew began the championship with three podium finishes, establishing itself among the leading contenders for the LMGT3 title. However, its challenge suffered a significant setback at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, where a component failure prevented the team from converting its competitive performance into another strong result.
Further difficulties during the second half of the season compounded those frustrations, leaving the crew facing a substantial championship deficit ahead of Barcelona.
Nevertheless, Shahin emphasised the importance of Manthey’s response to adversity, praising the team’s collective approach to both success and disappointment.
“We had a fantastic start to the year with three podiums, but Le Mans was a huge let-down. We had such a strong car and performance there and we were on for a good result, but unfortunately, a part failure destroyed those hopes and probably the championship with them. Still, it’s not how you react when you’re winning, it’s how you react when things go wrong that builds close bonds. We suffer together and we win together, and that’s absolutely a tribute to the culture within this team.”
The Australian’s comments highlighted the significance of returning to the top step of the podium after a challenging period. Barcelona rewarded the team’s persistence, with all three drivers contributing to a performance that restored Porsche to winning ways.
Barcelona victory revives Manthey’s championship ambitions
The result has also renewed The Bend Manthey’s hopes of securing another LMGT3 championship, with the Barcelona victory significantly reducing its deficit to the leading #33 TF Sport Corvette.
Championship leader Jonny Edgar finished seventh alongside Ben Keating and Nicky Catsburg after the Corvette encountered difficulties during its pit stops and received a ten-second penalty.
Meanwhile, Garage 59 recovered from a puncture to finish second, with Marvin Kirchhöfer overtaking Team WRT’s Daniel Harper during the closing stages. The #69 BMW ultimately finished third, ahead of the #34 Racing Team Turkey by TF Corvette.
The combination of results allowed Shahin, Pera and Lietz to climb to 74 points, reducing their deficit to Edgar to 18. Racing Team Turkey’s Charlie Eastwood, Peter Dempsey and Salih Yoluç remain involved in the title battle with 70 points.
With 26 points available at the season finale, Manthey remains mathematically capable of overturning the championship deficit.
The 2026 FIA WEC season concludes with the 6 Hours of Monza on 6–8 November, where The Bend Manthey will aim to build on its Barcelona success.
Although the championship remains an uphill challenge, Shahin’s reflections demonstrate the importance of the victory beyond the points collected. After experiencing the disappointment of Le Mans and further setbacks, the #92 crew has returned to winning ways through the collective effort that the Australian considers central to Manthey’s success.
