Manthey is pulling no punches in its quest to maintain absolute control over the FIA World Endurance Championship LMGT3 division, locking in a six-strong driver lineup for next season. Since the class kicked off in 2024, the Eifel-based outfit has taken six wins out of 16 races, sweeping the top two spots in the championship standings during its debut run before marching to a second consecutive crown this year. It is a stunning run of form from a machine of a team.
Now, the German squad is reloading with two distinct crews to defend its territory. In the #92 Porsche 911 LMGT3 R racing under 'The Bend Manthey' banner, endurance racing veteran Richard Lietz is back for more alongside rising Italian star Riccardo Pera. Lietz brings a glittering resume as a former world champion in LMGTE Pro with Manthey and a six-time class winner at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. They are joined by Yasser Shahin, who returns to the German squad after a season with BMW that yielded a pair of podium finishes. The Australian previously partnered Lietz to victory at La Sarthe in 2024.
We are very confident about our two line-ups, which feature newcomers, returning drivers and consistency in equal measure,
Over in the sister #91 'Manthey DK Engineering' Porsche, James Cottingham, Timur Boguslavskiy and Ayhancan Güven make up an intoxicating blend of experience and new blood. Cottingham reached the rostrum with United Autosports in this year's Qatar curtain-raiser, missing out on glory by the margin of less than half-a-second. Boguslavskiy, the 2023 GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup champion, makes the same switch as Shahin. Meanwhile, Porsche factory driver and Red Bull athlete Ayhancan Güven steps into the FIA World Endurance Championship for the first time. The 27-year-old Istanbul native arrives with serious pedigree after conquering Germany's DTM touring car series with Manthey in 2025 and triumphing in the famous Bathurst 12 Hour race.
“After two incredibly successful years in FIA WEC, we are proud to remain part of the series,” commented Nicolas Raeder, Managing Director of Manthey Racing GmbH. “With James and DK Engineering as well as Timur, we have strong new partners joining the team. James and Timur are experienced in FIA WEC, and I am excited to see what we can accomplish together. With Ayhancan, we undoubtedly want to build upon the successes achieved over the last two years, and we are proud that Yasser will be part of the team again, as we have a strong connection with him. After winning not only the championship but also the 24 Hours of Le Mans twice in a row, our goal is clear – to continue this momentum and defend our titles.”
Manthey Racing Director Patrick Arkenau echoed that quiet confidence about the depth of his garage. “We are very confident about our two line-ups, which feature newcomers, returning drivers and consistency in equal measure,” Arkenau said. “While James and Timur have been competing in FIA WEC since 2024, Ayhancan will be making his series debut, but he has already been very successful with us. I am sure we will form a strong unit with these exciting drivers.”
The chase for the 2026 crown opens with a grueling ten-hour contest in Qatar on 28 March. From there, the championship heads to Imola, Spa-Francorchamps, the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans, Interlagos, COTA and Fuji, before concluding with the traditional eight-hour finale in Bahrain.
