Supercars circuit owner to join WEC field in Manthey Porsche

Shahin and Morris Schuring will pair up with Manthey’s designated Pro driver Richard Lietz at the wheel of the #91 Porsche 911 GT3 R (Type 992) that will be run in collaboration with EMA.

The sister #92 Porsche, a joint effort between Manthey and Pure Rxcing, will be shared by Alex Malykhin, Joel Sturm and Klaus Bachler.

Lietz and Bachler were revealed as the first two drivers for Porsche’s assault on the new Pro-Am LMGT3 class on the publication of the WEC 2024 entry list at the end of November, while Shahin, Schuring, Malykhin and Sturm are all new signings to the two-car Manthey team.

Australian businessman Shahin moves up to WEC after three seasons competing in GT World Challenge Australia, winning back-to-back titles in an Audi R8 LMS GT3 between 2021-22 before finishing third last year in an EMA-entered Porsche.

He also gathered experience in prototype machinery in an Oreca 07 by racing for United Autosports in the Asian Le Mans Series in February last year, securing a best finish of second in Abu Dhabi.

Shahin’s family owns The Bend, a circuit, hotel, holiday park and kart venue in Southern Australia. The track has been an annual fixture on the Supercars calendar since 2018 (although it is absent from this year’s schedule ahead of hosting an endurance fixture in 2025) and has also previously shown interest in holding a round of the WEC, which would be a first in Australia.

The circuit’s branding will appear prominently on the bonnet and the roof of the #91 Porsche, which will be painted in a yellow-and-black livery.

Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images

#23 United Autosports Oreca 07 - Gibson: Yasser Shahin, Garnet Patterson, Oliver Jarvis

 “I'm looking forward to contesting a WEC season,” said the 47-year-old. “I've always enjoyed the endurance format and believe it offers the greatest challenge and opportunity for a driver. To compete in it with Manthey and Porsche is truly a privilege and a race driver's dream. 

“I've found an excellent fit with Manthey and the way they run a race team. Representing the Bend Motorsport Park and EMA Motorsport on the world stage will be fantastic. It won't be easy though - the sheer volume of driving and stints in the WEC will be physically demanding. 

“New tracks and a new tyre add to the difficulty and challenge. 

“I feel that our WEC driver line-up is extremely strong, we have excellent driver chemistry and everyone is looking forward to the start of the season.”

Shahin’s team-mate Schuring has landed a seat in WEC after becoming the youngest driver to win a race in both the Porsche Carrera Cup and the Porsche Supercup at the age of 18 of last year. 

Lietz, meanwhile, was part of the factory Porsche team from 2013 until the end of the GTE Pro era in 2022, scoring two class titles during that period.

In the #92 Porsche, Bachler returns to WEC for the first time since he drove the GTE version of the 911 in the opening round of 2016 season for the Pro-Am Proton team. 

He, Malykhin and Sturm contested the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup together as a crew in 2023, scoring victory in the Bronze class at Monza.

2024 also marks the return of Manthey Racing to WEC after it previously served as Porsche’s works team in GTE Pro from 2013 to ‘23. The German outfit is part-owned by the Volkswagen Group brand.

"It's great to be back in the WEC after a year of absence and we're looking forward to the new challenges,” said Patrick Arkenau, Head of Racing at Manthey Racing GmbH. 

“For example, the change from the former GTE Pro to a Pro AM class. At the same time, we are also very happy that we have two promising driver pairings. Our expectation is that we will compete for the championship - with both cars. 

“But Le Mans is also very high on our agenda. We are also excited to see how the whole procedure works with regard to the Balance of Performance, because that is also a first for us. Instead, the engine power will be regulated via the driveshaft, similar to the hypercar category. This is also a very exciting topic for us.”