Porsche LMGT3 cars fall short in Spa-Francorchamps qualifying

Porsche teams in LMGT3 struggled in Spa WEC qualifying, with Manthey 8th and Iron Dames 13th, missing out on hyperpole.

At the Spa-Francorchamps round of the FIA World Endurance Championship, Porsche’s LMGT3 teams faced a qualifying session filled with both promise and limitation.

Manthey 1st Phorm’s Porsche 911 GT3 R (#92) showed strong pace as Ryan Hardwick secured a hyperpole spot during the first session. Riccardo Pera followed up by shaving over three-tenths off the lap time, ultimately placing the car eighth on the grid. Fresh from a morale-boosting win in Imola, the team entered Spa with high hopes. While eighth may not seem ideal, it keeps them in the mix for Saturday’s six-hour race.

Pera admitted that starting from eighth provides little advantage, but emphasized that in endurance racing, many things can change. Clean execution and staying out of trouble are paramount — a reflection of a team focused on maximizing every opportunity.

Meanwhile, the Iron Dames, another Porsche 911 GT3 R crew (#85), qualified 13th. Célia Martin improved on her free practice simulation but fell short of bridging the half-second gap needed for a higher slot. She identified where time could be gained, but executing under pressure proved difficult. The team is now focusing on refining the race setup, drawing on lessons learned from the last round in Imola.

Iron Dames is more than just a racing team — it’s a key initiative promoting women in motorsport. Their ongoing collaboration with Porsche Motorsport in 2025 underlines the program’s significance. Regardless of grid position, their presence is a notable contribution to the evolving LMGT3 field.

With a six-hour race ahead, strategy, consistency, and resilience will define success. For Porsche’s customer teams, the goal is clear: turn an average qualifying into a meaningful result and earn valuable championship points.

Source: porsche.com