Manthey Racing Targets IMSA Success with New Porsche 911 GT3 R Program
Miami, FL – Renowned GT racing team Manthey Racing has officially entered the North American IMSA SportsCar Championship, fielding two Porsche 911 GT3 R entries in the Michelin Endurance Cup. The team, known for its impressive track record, aims to capitalize on the endurance racing format with a lineup of skilled drivers.
The #911 Porsche will be piloted by Porsche-contracted Klaus Bachler, 2023 GT World Challenge Sprint Cup champion Ricardo Feller, and 2023 DTM champion Thomas Preining in the GTD Pro class. The #912 entry will see Ryan Hardwick, Riccardo Pera, and Morris Schuring share driving duties, supported by factory Porsche drivers Ayhancan Guven and Richard Lietz for the 24 Hours of Daytona.
Despite this being Manthey’s first outing under its own banner in IMSA, the team is no stranger to the series, having provided engineering support to various teams, including KCMG, since 2020. “The IMSA paddock is not new to us; we are quite experienced there,” stated Patrick Arkenau, Manthey’s racing director, emphasizing their readiness to take on the challenge.
The decision to expand into IMSA aligns with Manthey’s commercial strategy to bolster its street car business in North America. “North America is important for our street car business… we want to promote our kits more in the US,” said Nicolas Raeder, managing director of Manthey.
To facilitate this initiative, Manthey has established a secondary operational base in Miami, ensuring proximity to crucial events like the Daytona 24 Hours. While the team will not maintain a permanent American crew, engineers from their headquarters in Meuspath will travel as necessary, reflecting their operational model across WEC and DTM.
With a competitive spirit and a robust engineering backbone, Manthey Racing is poised to make an impact in the endurance series, eyeing performance at the upcoming Daytona 24 Hours on January 24–25.
As Manthey evaluates its IMSA performance, the potential for a full-season campaign in the future remains open, driven by market success and strategic planning. “If we can measure increased sales through our IMSA involvement, we will look to improve our program,” Raeder concluded.
