Following a frustrating week in north-western France at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, reigning LMGT3 category champion Manthey reignited its title defence in last weekend’s Rolex 6 Hours of São Paulo (10-12 July) by repeating its Imola result with a double top four finish.
Having triumphed in-class at Le Mans in the previous three editions of the twice-round-the-clock contest, Manthey unusually left La Sarthe last month with just four points from the event.
The Eifel-based outfit’s pair of Porsches subsequently lined up seventh and 11th on the grid at Interlagos, with Bronze-rated drivers Yasser Shahin and James Cottingham initially conceding ground in the race around the legendary Autódromo José Carlos Pace – but underlining the team’s tactical acuity and expertise, both cars soon began working their way back through the high-calibre, 18-strong LMGT3 field.
Shahin handed over the #92 The Bend Manthey entry to Riccardo Pera, who himself made way for Richard Lietz, with the Austrian drawing upon all his years of experience to charge up the order in the late stages. A textbook pass on Sebastian Priaulx’s #77 Proton Competition Ford Mustang with less than a quarter-of-an-hour remaining duly secured the crew their third podium finish from four starts in the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2026.
“It was an exciting race – perhaps even a little more exciting than I would have liked!” joked Lietz, who alongside Pera and Shahin, sits fourth in the championship standings at the halfway stage of the season. “At the same time, it shows just how competitive LMGT3 has become.
“Despite the changing conditions, we managed to get the maximum out of our package. The cooler temperatures towards the end certainly didn’t make things any easier, but that made this third-place finish even more satisfying, as it allowed us to score valuable points for the championship. All three drivers did a fantastic job, and overall, it was a challenging but very positive weekend for us.”
Adopting a different approach, the #91 Manthey DK Engineering 911 GT3 R became the first LMGT3 car to peel into the pits for new tyres, giving Cottingham the edge he needed to climb into the top five.
Timur Boguslavskiy and Ayhancan Güven then continued that good work as the Turk – like team-mate Lietz – piled on the pressure in the closing laps, pulling off a number of decisive overtakes to take the chequered flag less than half-a-second behind the sister car.
“Finishing fourth in São Paulo after starting from P11 was a really strong result,” reflected the 2025 DTM champion. “Throughout the race, we steadily worked our way forwards and stayed in contention. After the disappointment of Le Mans, it was great to be back at the front.
“The entire team and both of my team-mates did an outstanding job all weekend. There are a lot of positives to take away from the race, and hopefully we can carry this momentum into Austin and fight for our first podium [of the year].”
Austin’s Circuit of The Americas (COTA) in Texas is where the campaign will resume from its annual summer break on 4-6 September – and the scene of a double rostrum result for Manthey two years ago. The German squad’s Racing Director, Patrick Arkenau, paid tribute to the smart strategy calls and flawless execution that enabled the team to fully exploit its potential in Brazil.
“After a very disappointing 24 Hours of Le Mans, it was important for us to return to form in São Paulo,” he acknowledged. “Finishing third and fourth allowed us to do exactly that. Over the course of the race, we once again played to our key strengths and worked our way forward from midfield starting positions.
“Overall, we had a largely trouble-free run and benefited from a little bit of luck. What stood out most, however, was the performance of all our drivers. You can clearly see how those who are still new to the team and the Porsche 911 GT3 R continue to develop and improve from race to race. With all the cars ahead of us in the championship finishing behind us [at Interlagos], we were able to make up valuable ground. There is still a lot to play for.”
“Racing in São Paulo is always special,” added Manthey Managing Director, Nicolas Raeder. “Interlagos has a unique atmosphere and a very distinctive character. The circuit tells so many stories, and you can feel the significance of this place for motorsport as soon as you enter the paddock. That’s why we always look forward to coming back.
“Both cars completed strong, error-free races and we can be very satisfied with finishing third and fourth. For the #92 crew, the podium also means we are firmly back in the championship fight. At the same time, nothing is lost for the #91 crew either. Our goal is to build upon this result over the second half of the season.”
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