James Cottingham – 2026 Le Mans 24 Hours Race Report
The 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans represented another significant milestone in James Cottingham’s endurance racing career as he made his Le Mans debut in a Porsche with Manthey DK Engineering in the highly competitive LMGT3 category. Sharing the #91 Porsche 911 GT3 R with Timur Boguslavskiy and Porsche factory driver Ayhancan Güven, James approached the event with professionalism, determination and a clear understanding of the challenge that lies at the heart of the world’s greatest endurance race.
Le Mans is unique in its demands. Beyond outright pace, success requires adaptability, consistency and flawless execution across an entire week of competition. From the first practice sessions through to race day, James demonstrated exactly those qualities, integrating seamlessly into one of endurance racing’s most successful GT programmes while continuing to develop his own standing within the FIA World Endurance Championship paddock.
The Manthey organisation arrived at Le Mans aiming to secure a third consecutive LMGT3 victory for Porsche and entered the event with two highly competitive cars. Starting from ninth position in class (James qualifying P3 in his qualifying session), James was entrusted with the opening stint of the race and immediately delivered a composed and measured performance against a field packed with experienced Silver, Gold and Platinum-rated competitors. Throughout the opening hours, he maintained strong pace, managed traffic effectively and kept the #91 Porsche firmly in contention. By the time he handed the car over to his teammates, the car had advanced into the leading group and remained well positioned for a strong result.
As the race developed, the #91 crew demonstrated the pace required to challenge at the front of the LMGT3 category. Ayhancan Güven fought his way into the class lead during the evening before an unfortunate puncture caused by circuit debris compromised the team’s progress and dropped the car down the order. Despite the setback, the crew continued to push forward and remained in contention for a strong finish.
Le Mans, however, can be unforgiving. With approximately five hours remaining, the #91 Porsche was involved in a heavy accident while running inside the top positions of the LMGT3 field. The incident ultimately brought the team’s race to a premature conclusion and resulted in a retirement from an event in which the crew had consistently demonstrated podium-level pace.
While the final classification records a DNF, the result does not accurately reflect the quality of performance delivered throughout the event. From a management perspective, James can take considerable pride from his contribution to the campaign. Cottingham showed maturity, composure and competitiveness throughout one of the most demanding races in world motorsport. His opening stints laid a strong foundation for the team’s challenge and reinforced the confidence Manthey had placed in him when selecting its 2026 driver line-up.
Perhaps most encouraging was James’s ability to perform under the intense pressure that Le Mans inevitably brings. Managing traffic, changing track conditions and the relentless demands of a 24-hour race requires a unique skill set, and throughout the week he demonstrated the professionalism and racecraft expected of a driver competing at the highest level of GT endurance racing.
Although the outcome was not the one the team had worked towards, there are many positives to take away from the event. The pace of the #91 Manthey DK Engineering Porsche, the strength of the driver line-up and James’s individual performance all provide a strong foundation for future success in both the FIA World Endurance Championship and future Le Mans campaigns.
Le Mans often rewards perseverance as much as speed. This year’s race may have ended prematurely, but James leaves the Circuit de la Sarthe having strengthened his reputation, gained invaluable experience and demonstrated that he belongs among the leading competitors in international GT endurance racing. We look forward to building on this experience and returning stronger in the years ahead.