Aliaksandr Malykhin (KNA) / Joel Sturm (GER) / Klaus Bachler (AUT) #92 Manthey PureRxcing Porsche 911 GT3 R LMGT3.
29.02.2024. FIA World Endurance Championship, Round 1, Doha 1812 KM, Doha, Qatar, Thursday.
– www.xpbimages.com, EMail: [email protected] © The #92 Manthey PureRxcing Porsche 911 secured the first-ever LMGT3 class win at the Qatar 1812 km, the season-opener for the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship.
For the first time this year, 18 cars from the new LMGT3 category competed for the victory at a new location for the WEC, the Losail International Circuit in Qatar.
The #92 crew of Alex Malykhin, Joel Sturm, and Klaus Bachler emerged as the winners after nearly 10 hours of racing.
It was a fiercely contested battle with plenty of action, competition, and excitement in the class as nine manufacturers vied 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 distance.
After qualifying in pole position, Tom van Rompuy maintained his lead in the #81 TF Sport Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R during a hectic race start, ahead of the #92 Manthey PureRxcing Porsche 911 driven by Alex Malykhin, and the #777 D’station Aston Martin Vantage AMR piloted by Clement Mateu, who gained one position from starting fourth.
The intense competition in the LMGT3 class allowed the cars to stay closely together during the opening hour, resulting in thrilling battles for the lead.
Malykhin took the lead when the Hypercars were lapping the LMGT3s, causing Van Rompuy to fall back into the clutches of the #92 and the #777.
Over the following hours, the #92 car built a commanding lead, but the fight for the top spot intensified once again in the final hours.
An exciting midfield battle unfolded, with the Iron Dames’ bronze driver Sarah Bovy defending sixth place against the #81 car driven by last year’s LMP2 champion Rui Andrade, followed by the Akoddis ASP Lexus RC F #87 driven by Esteban Masson in eighth position.
Michelle Gatting drove the #85 Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 and was overtaken by Simon Mann in the #55 AF Corse, followed by the #31 WRT driver Sean Gelael.
Unfortunately, the pole-sitting #81 car’s hopes for victory diminished as it struggled to match the consistent pace of the Manthey team and suffered a brief spin at Turn 1.
It eventually came to a halt after entering the pit lane due to a gearbox issue, though it did not obstruct other competitors.
After retiring to the garage, it was forced to end its race prematurely, becoming the second retirement of the event.
Another notable moment was the WEC debut of MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi in the #46 WRT BMW M4, who delivered strong performances during his two stints in the car.
Alongside the efforts of his teammates Maxime Martin and Ahmed Al Harthy, Rossi displayed smooth and consistent pace to keep the #46 car in contention for a top-five finish and valuable points throughout the nearly 10-hour race.
Specifically, Rossi executed a successful overtaking maneuver on the #91 Manthey EMA Porsche driver Yasser Shahin, moving up to fourth place after starting in eighth.
Daniel Mancinelli of the #27 Heart of Racing AMR closed in on Malykhin with a double-stint on his tires and took the lead from the Manthey driver, who had dominated the race with a 20-second gap over second place.
By the sixth hour, the #27 car was still in the battle for victory, now challenging the #54 AF Corse Ferrari driven by Thomas Flohr.
Ultimately, Alex Riberas of the Heart of Racing team made a late but well-executed move on the inside of the final corner before the start-finish straight to regain the lead, while the #27 car pitted for Mancinelli to take over driving duties once again.
The fight for fourth place provided thrilling entertainment, as #31 WRT BMW driver Sean Gelael defended his position against the #777 Aston Martin driver Erwan Bastard.
After a closely fought battle, Bastard made a calculated move, braking late into the final turn and executing a strong corner exit to gain momentum on the start-finish straight and pass Gelael.
Meanwhile, the #78 car driven by Kelvin van der Linde became the third retirement of the race due to an engine issue.
Although the battle for victory may not have been as intense as in the Hypercar category, it showcased the tense and thrilling racing that the new LMGT3 class can offer throughout the rest of the season.
Alex Malykhin, Joel Sturm, and Klaus Bachler emerged as the winners in the #92 car, followed by the #27 crew of Ian James, Daniel Mancinelli, and Alex Riberas in second place, and the #777 team of Clement Mateu, Erwan Bastard, and Marco Sorensen in third place.
The #46 WRT drivers Ahmad Al Harthy, Valentino Rossi, and Maxime Martin claimed fourth place, with Thomas Flohr, Francesco Castellacci, and Davide Rigon finishing in fifth position.