The Porsche partner that turned a family tragedy into a racing dynasty

Countries & Cities · Published 21 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: When Olaf Manthey lost his son in a car accident in 2007, he faced a choice: let his team fold or find a way to keep it alive. The result was a unique partnership with Porsche that redefined endurance racing and set production car records.

Founded in 1996 by former driver Olaf Manthey, the team initially found success in the Porsche Supercup, where Dutch driver Patrick Huisman won four consecutive titles between 1997 and 2000. However, a personal tragedy in 2007—the death of Olaf's son—nearly ended the operation. Because his daughter had no interest in taking over ownership, Manthey approached Porsche to keep the team operational. This led to a pivotal merger with Raeder Motorsport in 2013, where Porsche acquired a 51% majority stake.

The relationship evolved into a deep technical and commercial alliance. By 2021, Manthey became a certified Porsche partner, eventually reaching a 67% majority ownership by Porsche in 2026. Porsche's factory LMGT3 operations within the FIA World Endurance Championship are currently managed by this group. Their expertise is so highly regarded that Porsche even utilizes Manthey-prepped 911 Turbo S cars as official safety cars for the championship.

Manthey Racing has become a titan of endurance racing, particularly at the Nürburgring 24 Hours. They hold a record-setting seven overall victories at the event, with their most recent win occurring in 2021 after just nine hours of racing. Beyond the track, Manthey operates a specialized tuning department. Their performance upgrades for Porsche road cars often carry official OEM status, and their 'MR' suffix is a hallmark of high-performance engineering that has even been used to set production car lap records at the Nürburgring.

The team's reach extends globally, from winning titles in the Asian Le Mans Series to competing in the IMSA SportsCar Championship. In 2024, they achieved a dominant 1-2 finish in the LMGT3 teams' standings. Their influence is so significant that their cars have even appeared in promotional campaigns for major projects, such as the F1 film starring Brad Pitt.

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