Manthey secures first victory of the WEC LMGT3 era in Qatar

For the first time this year, 18 cars from the new LMGT3 category competed for victory in a new location for the WEC, the Losail International Circuit in Qatar.

Team number 92, composed of Alex Malykhin, Joel Sturm, and Klaus Bachler, emerged as the winners after nearly 10 hours of racing. It was a fierce battle, with plenty of action, competition, and excitement in the class, with nine manufacturers vying for the top spot. However, achieving a Porsche victory to match their success in the Hypercar category required a combination of patience, strong performance, and effective tire management over such a long race.

After qualifying on pole position, Tom van Rompuy maintained the lead in the TF Sport Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R, number 81, during a hectic start, ahead of the Manthey PureRacing Porsche 911, number 92, driven by Alex Malykhin, and the D’station Aston Martin Vantage AMR, number 777, driven by Clement Mateu, who moved up one position from fourth.

The intense competition in the LMGT3 class allowed the cars to stay close together during the first hour, resulting in thrilling battles for the lead. Malykhin took the lead when the Hypercars were overtaking the LMGT3s, causing Van Rompuy to fall into the clutches of number 92 and number 777. In the following hours, the number 92 car built a solid lead, but the fight for first position intensified again in the final hours.