AUSTRALIAN driver Yasser Shahin and German-Aussie team, Manthey-EMA, have claimed a remarkable victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the world’s premier endurance race.
Adelaide-based Shahin shared a Porsche 911 GT3R with co-drivers Morris Schuring and Richard Lietz, the trio dominating the final stanza of the race after mechanical issues forced the sister Manthey Pure Racing entry to the wayside.
It was an historic maiden win for Porsche in the debut of the LM GT3 category in the iconic 24-hour race, and the 111th class win for the brand at the event.
Shahin, Schuring and Lietz finished a lap clear of the GT3 pack in a race marred by several lengthy Safety Car periods due to heavy rain throughout the nighttime stanza of the race.
The result backs up the remarkable win by Manthey EMA in this year’s Repco Bathurst 12 Hour endurance held at Mount Panorama, and a podium finish in the recent 24 Hours of the Nürburgring.
“To be the first manufacturer to win at Le Mans with a GT3 race car is a unique story that nobody can take away from us,” said a delighted Sebastian Golz, Project Manager Porsche 911 GT3 R.
“That’s a chapter that we wrote in collaboration with all of our colleagues in Weissach. It was a new challenge for us. Congratulations to the Manthey EMA team, as well, the teamwork ran brilliantly. Things are also looking very good for us in the world championship standings, we managed to secure a lot of points. It’s a shame the number 92 911 GT3 R had technical problems. Of course, we’ll do a deep dive into that data afterwards. Now, it’s time to go for the world championship title.”
For Shahin, the Le Mans victory caps off a remarkable rise through the ranks of GT racing – one that only saw him commence racing at a national level a decade ago.
It was his first start at Le Mans and came after only one year behind the wheel of a Porsche 911 GT3R.
He claimed a pair of GT World Challenge Australia titles in 2021 and 2022 before linking with Porsche to finish third in the 2023 season.
International competition beckoned this year, kicking off with a Pro-Am Class win at the Bathurst 12 Hour in February prior to embarking on a full FIA World Endurance Championship Campaign with Manthey EMA, driving a The Bend Motorsport Park-backed Porsche GT3R.
After a pair of challenging events to open the season in Qatar and at Imola, respectively, Shahin claimed victory in the six hours of Spa Francorchamps round of the championship last month, prior to his Le Mans victory.
The recent pair of wins rockets the team to the top of the LMGT3 category championship standings at the series’ half-way point.
Meanwhile, there were mixed fortunes for the trio of Porsche Penske Motorsport 963 entries in the outright Le Mans Hypercar category.
Polesitter Kévin Estre from France, André Lotterer from Germany and Laurens Vanthoor from Belgium battled for a spot on the podium until the end in the No. 6 car, with the best-placed works-run Porsche 963 a mere 1.167 seconds off third place at the end.
The sister car shared by Australian Matt Campbell, Michael Christensen from Denmark and Frenchman Frédéric Makowiecki lost touch with the leading pack during the night, with the No. 5 finally crossing the finish line in sixth.
For the No. 4 entry, the dream of a Le Mans victory was shattered at 9:15 am on Sunday. Brazilian Felipe Nasr slid sideways into the barriers near the Indianapolis curves, forcing the vehicle into retirement. Previously, Nasr and his teammates Mathieu Jaminet from France and Nick Tandy from Great Britain had dropped back after several penalties and a repair stop due to a shunt with another driver.
Estre, Lotterer and Vanthoor continue to lead the FIA World Endurance Championship heading to their next round.
