Manthey to debut two Porsche 911 GT3 R in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship endurance races in 2026

Manthey is set to expand its GT3 racing programme to the North American IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship for the first time in 2026. The team based close to the Nürburgring will enter one Porsche 911 GT3 R in both the GTD and GTD PRO classes of the five IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup races.

Following their successes in the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) season, the car entered in the GTD classification with starting number 912 will compete under the Manthey 1st Phorm banner. The 'Grello' Porsche (#911), well known for its appearances on the Nürburgring Nordschleife and in the DTM, will make its US debut in the PRO category.

The prestigious 24 Hours of Daytona will mark the official start of the IMSA season for Manthey on 24 January 2026. The team will already be clocking up their first test kilometres at the Daytona International Speedway during the IMSA Sanctioned Test this coming November. The driver line-up and liveries for the two 911s will be announced at a later date. This is Manthey's first confirmed entry as part of an extensive GT3 programme for 2026.  Nicolas Raeder, Managing Director, Manthey Racing GmbH: “We are very proud to be competing in the IMSA in 2026 together with Ryan and Manthey 1st Phorm as well as the Grello. Entering the American market has been a long-held dream of ours, as we have been following the series for many years, and the US market is also very important for our road car products. Entering our two Porsche in the endurance races will also provide an excellent opportunity to engage with Porsche dealers, Manthey customers, and enthusiasts. Building on our experience of competing at the Nürburgring and in the DTM and WEC since 2023 and 2024 respectively, IMSA is the next logical step for us. I am looking forward to this new challenge for our team, especially the season opener in Daytona.”  Patrick Arkenau, Director Racing, Manthey Racing GmbH: “We are delighted to be competing in the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup from 2026, thereby expanding our racing division's portfolio. While Manthey is not entirely new to the series - having provided extensive engineering support for various teams in the GT and prototype classes in recent years - this will be our first time competing under our own name, and we are looking forward to the challenge. In particular, we have unfinished business at Daytona: we competed there in 1999, 2017 and 2018, but were never able to complete the race. The 12 Hours of Sebring and Petit Le Mans are also on our 'wish list'. Our clear goal is to compete for victories in both the GTD PRO and GTD classes right from the start. We are highly motivated and well positioned as a team, building on our experience from the DTM and WEC. IMSA will of course be a different kind of racing to which we will have to adapt, but we see this as an exciting challenge. We can't wait to bring the Grello and the number 912 to the track in America from 2026.”  Ryan Hardwick, Manthey 1st Phorm Porsche 911 GT3 R #912: “I am thrilled to be returning to IMSA with Manthey in 2026. My first season with this team was incredibly successful: we enjoyed many highlights, including our first victory at Imola, winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans and currently leading the World Endurance Championship. Having started my racing career in IMSA, I am very excited to now be part of Manthey's driver line-up for their first season racing in North America. Bringing the legendary 1st Phorm blue Porsche back to the series is also very special. I have already celebrated victories in Daytona and Sebring in a Porsche, and I know our North American fans are looking forward to seeing the car back on the track. It is an honour to be part of this return. Once the 2025 WEC season hopefully comes to a successful end, I am looking forward to taking this next step in IMSA with Manthey.”