IMSA

The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship is one of North America’s premier endurance racing series and challenges teams, drivers and machinery with long race distances, changing conditions and intense competition. Within the championship, the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup serves as the series’ endurance classification, kicked off and highlighted by the 24 Hours of Daytona, followed by four additional endurance races in Florida, New York, Wisconsin and Georgia, each lasting six to twelve hours. In 2026, Manthey will contest its debut season in the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup, fielding a Porsche 911 GT3 R in both the GTD PRO and GTD classes.

Building on its successes in the 2025 FIA WEC season, the car with starting number 912 will compete in the GTD class under the Manthey 1st Phorm banner. The ‘Grello’ Porsche (#911), which is well known for its appearances on the Nürburgring Nordschleife and in the DTM, among other things, will make its US debut in the GTD-PRO category.

Team & Driver

"Grello" Porsche 911 GT3 R #911

Klaus Bachler
Ricardo Feller
Thomas Preining

The line-up of the “Grello” Porsche 911 GT3 R, already known from the NLS and DTM and entered in the GTD PRO class, features Austrians Klaus Bachler and Thomas Preining alongside Swiss driver Ricardo Feller. Bachler has already achieved joint successes with Manthey in the FIA WEC, including winning the LMGT3 championship in 2024. DTM champion Preining competes successfully with the team not only in the sprint series but also on the Nürburgring Nordschleife. The trio is completed by Porsche works driver Ricardo Feller, who joins Manthey as a newcomer with prior IMSA experience.

Manthey 1st Phorm Porsche 911 GT3 R #912

Ryan Hardwick
Riccardo Pera
Morris Schuring

At the wheel of the #912 car, entered together with 1st Phorm in the GTD classification, are the Manthey-experienced drivers Ryan Hardwick, Riccardo Pera and Morris Schuring. Dutchman Schuring, named DTM Rookie of the Year in 2025, won the FIA WEC LMGT3 vice-championship with Manthey in 2024 and also claimed the debut class victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans that same year. Hardwick (USA) and Pera (Italy) also won the Le Mans endurance classic in 2025 together with Manthey and finished the season as LMGT3-champions.

Rolex 24 at Daytona

Manthey concluded its debut in the 2026 IMSA season at the 24 Hours of Daytona with fifth place (#911, GTD PRO) and twelfth place (#912, GTD). After a challenging qualifying session, the two Porsche 911 GT3 R started the twice around the clock race from 14th and 18th on the grid.

On Sunday morning, following a six and a half hour full course yellow period due to dense fog, both cars moved to the front of their respective classes thanks to a well timed pit stop strategy and faultless stints. After the race resumed with just over six hours remaining, they held their positions at the top of the field for several hours. Ultimately, Klaus Bachler (Austria), Ricardo Feller (Switzerland), Ayhancan Güven (Turkey) and Thomas Preining (Austria) were unable to defend these positions in the warmer conditions toward the end of the race against the strong GTD PRO field and took the checkered flag in fifth place after 662 laps. Their Manthey 1st Phorm teammates Ryan Hardwick (USA), Richard Lietz (Austria), Riccardo Pera (Italy) and Morris Schuring (Netherlands) were set back by an unscheduled pit stop due to rising engine temperatures and a drive through penalty in the final two hours, finishing twelfth.

In addition to the two GT3 R entries, another Manthey car was present at Daytona International Speedway: the Porsche 911 GT3 RS with Manthey Kit served as the official IMSA Safety Car, leading the field on numerous occasions throughout the race, particularly at night. Despite missing out on top sporting results, Manthey demonstrated its potential at the IMSA season opener and looks ahead positively to the remainder of the 2026 IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup.