Manthey-Racing

Manthey-Racing
Name	Manthey-Racing
Founded	1996
Founders	Olaf Manthey
Base	Meuspath, Nürburgring, Germany
Principal	Olaf Manthey

Manthey-Racing is a German motorsport and automotive engineering company founded in 1996 by Olaf Manthey, specializing in endurance racing, performance tuning, and development of race-ready Porsche vehicles. The organization has become synonymous with success at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring, collaboration with Porsche AG, and technical excellence in customer motorsport programs. Manthey-Racing blends race operations, vehicle engineering, and driver development across activities that intersect with major events like the FIA World Endurance Championship and the IMSA SportsCar Championship.

History

Founded in 1996 by former race engineer Olaf Manthey, the team emerged from earlier involvement in Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft and regional ADAC GT Masters efforts. Early results at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring and national endurance series established a reputation that attracted partnerships with manufacturers and privateers. Through the 2000s the organization expanded into vehicle preparation, parts supply, and race engineering, aligning with global endurance traditions exemplified by the 24 Hours of Le Mans and FIA GT Championship. Key milestones include multiple overall and class victories at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring and technical collaborations that linked the team to factory efforts by Porsche AG and international endurance programs.

Motorsport Programs

Manthey-Racing fields and supports entries across endurance events including the 24 Hours of Nürburgring, 24 Hours of Spa, and select rounds of the FIA World Endurance Championship and European Le Mans Series. The team operates GT3 and GT2 campaigns derived from Porsche 911 platforms and competes against teams from Audi Sport Team Phoenix, BMW M Team RLL, and AF Corse. Manthey-Racing also provides customer racing services for privateers in series such as the Blancpain GT Series and national GT championships, offering race engineering, logistics, and pit operations. Their endurance expertise has been demonstrated alongside contemporary programs from Ferrari Competizioni GT and Aston Martin Racing.

Porsche Partnership and Tuning Division

A close technical partnership with Porsche AG has defined the company’s tuning and development work, producing upgraded road and race variants of the Porsche 911 GT3, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, and homologated competition cars. Manthey-Racing tuning integrates aerodynamic packages, suspension setups, and endurance-specific cooling upgrades used in conjunction with Porsche factory efforts at Weissach and customer racing initiatives like Porsche Carrera Cup. Collaborative projects have paralleled development paths seen with Porsche Motorsport North America and influenced homologation for GT racing classes overseen by FIA GT3 and national motorsport authorities. The tuning division supplies performance parts and track-oriented conversions for collectors and private teams who compete in historic and modern endurance events.

Notable Vehicles and Projects

Notable race cars prepared by the organization include endurance-spec Porsche 911 GT3 Rs that achieved class wins at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring and high finishes at the 24 Hours of Spa. Special projects have included lightweight, aero-optimized variants inspired by homologation specials like the Porsche 911 GT2 RS and bespoke endurance platforms comparable to factory prototypes campaigned by Toyota Gazoo Racing and Ford Chip Ganassi Racing. The company’s road conversions and track packages are comparable in intent to offerings from RUF Automobile and TechArt and have been used by customer teams in international series such as the International GT Open and national endurance classics.

Operations and Facilities

Headquartered in Meuspath near the Nürburgring, the facilities combine race garages, wind tunnel access via partner networks, suspension and engine workshops, and logistics capacity for global event support. Operations include a race control center, dyno rooms, and parts manufacturing areas collaborating with suppliers like Brembo, Öhlins, and Pankl Racing Systems. The site’s proximity to the Nürburgring Nordschleife enables continuous development and testing similar to practices at Hockenheimring and Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. International logistics coordinate shipping for events across Europe, North America, and Asia, interfacing with cargo operations used by factory teams at Le Mans.

Drivers and Personnel

The team’s roster has featured professional drivers and engineers with backgrounds in series such as the FIA World Endurance Championship, Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters, and national GT championships. Notable drivers and collaborators have included endurance specialists who have also raced for Porsche Works Team, Manthey-Racing-aligned privateers, and instructors from driver academies similar to those run by Ferrari Driver Academy and Red Bull Junior Team. Technical leadership centers on Olaf Manthey with engineering staff experienced in vehicle dynamics, engine development, and race strategy, working alongside tire engineers from manufacturers such as Michelin and Pirelli.

Category:Auto racing teams in Germany Category:Porsche tuning companies