• As the Manthey Racing GmbH marks its 30th anniversary, the “Grello” is also celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2026
• As the successor to “Der Dicke,” the green-and-yellow livery design has since enjoyed success far beyond the Nordschleife
• To celebrate both anniversaries, Manthey will take to the starting grid of the 24h Nürburgring with a special livery and showcase its winning cars at the ring°boulevard

Meuspath. 2026 marks not only Manthey’s 30th anniversary year, but also the “Grello’s” 10th anniversary. Evolving from “Der Dicke,” with which Manthey celebrated four consecutive overall victories at the 24h Nürburgring between 2006 and 2009, the Porsche in its eye-catching yellow-green livery made its debut in 2016 during the 6-Hour race of the former VLN and secured the overall victory right off the bat. Further successes followed, not only on the Nordschleife, but also in the DTM and on the international stage at the Bathurst 12 Hour and in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. To mark the anniversary, Manthey will compete at the 24h Nürburgring with a special livery. As a further development of the “Grello” livery, this design incorporates elements from historic vehicles, thus uniting the past, present, and future. In addition, Manthey is hosting an exhibition on the ring°boulevard during the race weekend. All of the team’s vehicles that have emerged victorious from the traditional race in the Eifel will be on display there for visitors.

Where the past meets the future: The “Grello” in its anniversary design

The special livery that Manthey will showcase at the 2026 24h Nürburgring - marking the company’s anniversary year - brings together the past, present, and future of the “Grello” and the entire company in a single design. It is based on the “Grello” livery from the current Nordschleife season, into which key elements of “Der Dicke” have been integrated. The green-and-yellow roof, with which the car competed on the Nordschleife between 2005 and 2011, is just as much a part of the special livery as the orange exterior mirrors, which characterized both “Der Dicke” during that period and the “Grello” from 2016 to 2019. The partner logos on the car bridge the gap between past and present, as they have also become an integral part of the design and continue to evolve it. Finally, a glimpse into the future is found in a reinterpreted streamlined design that incorporates the classic green accents into the “Grello’s” yellow base design. The livery is further complemented by additional details such as a hidden “7” as a reference to the record for total victories at the 24h Nürburgring, as well as other smaller graphic elements that visitors and fans can discover for themselves as part of the #Manthey30 campaign and which will be unveiled by the company over the course of the race week.

From “Der Dicke” to “Grello”: A success story in yellow and green

The history of the “Grello” goes back about two decades, extending beyond its 10th anniversary: As early as 2005, Manthey fielded a car in yellow-and-green livery for the first time in the VLN series of that era. The Porsche 911 GT3 MR - also known as “Der Dicke” and the direct predecessor of the “Grello” - finished first in three of the nine races counted toward the championship that season and also secured three pole positions. In 2006, the first victory at the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring followed, which was then followed by three more overall victories in the next three years with a yellow-green Porsche 911 GT3 RSR - a winning streak that remains unmatched to this day. The next success at the endurance classic in the Eifel came in 2011: Driving a yellow-green Porsche 911 GT3 RSR-MR - which had originally served as a Porsche test car, had already covered around 48,000 kilometers, and had been modified by Manthey for the race - the team once again finished in first place.

From 2012 to 2015, Manthey fielded different livery designs in the Green Hell. It wasn’t until 2016, at the 6-hour race of the former VLN, that the Porsche 911 GT3 R made its debut in the livery now known as “Grello.” With Patrick Pilet and Jörg Bergmeister at the wheel, the team secured victory in the 6-hour race right off the bat. Success also came quickly at the 24h Nürburgring: in 2018 and 2021, the team claimed overall victory with the “Grello” Porsche in the Green Hell.

Today, the “Grello” is not only a fan favorite but has also enjoyed success far beyond the Nordschleife. As early as 2018, Manthey fielded the car on international soil for the first time at the Bathurst 12 Hour. Six years later, the team from Meuspath secured an overall victory with the yellow-and-green Porsche at Australia’s Mount Panorama Circuit. In 2023, the team entered the DTM and won both the drivers’ and teams’ championships with the “Grello” driven by Thomas Preining in its debut season - a success that was repeated in 2025 with Ayhancan Güven at the wheel. With its entry into the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in the U.S. this year and its recent victory in the GTD Pro class at Sebring, the “Grello” continues its international success story.

Seven victories up close: A special exhibition at the ring°boulevard

To celebrate the anniversary of Manthey and the “Grello,” there will be an exhibition at the ring°boulevard during the 24-hour race week at the Nürburgring. On display will be the cars with which the team set the record of seven overall victories at the legendary race in the Eifel region. The exhibition is open to all visitors during the ring°boulevard’s regular opening hours. In addition, an autograph session will take place on Thursday from 5:15 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. with the drivers of starting number 911 in this year’s 24-hour race - Kévin Estre, Ayhancan Güven, and Thomas Preining.

Quotes on the 10th anniversary of the “Grello” and the special livery:

Nicolas Raeder, Managing Director of the Manthey Racing GmbH: “We are delighted to be celebrating both Manthey’s 30th anniversary and the 10th anniversary of ‘Grello’ this year. Both represent a success story that Olaf Manthey laid the foundation for and that we are privileged to continue today - now on the international stage as well. The special livery we’ll be racing with at the 24h Nürburgring honors this evolution and also highlights the connection between the past, present, and future. I hope our fans will enjoy the design as well. Just like our long-standing partners and our employees, they are an integral part of the history of the car and the entire company.”

Patrick Arkenau, Director Racing at the Manthey Racing GmbH: “For us, this year’s 24-hour race at the Nürburgring is all about two special anniversaries: 30 years of Manthey and ten years of ‘Grello’ - two milestones we want to honor with our special livery, which reflects both our history and our greatest successes in the Green Hell. The “Grello” made its debut on this track 10 years ago, and following the cancellation due to the pandemic, this will be the eighth time we’ve competed in the 24-hour race with this distinctive livery. Especially after our two second-place finishes in 2024 and 2025, our sporting goal is clear: we want to finally be back on top. We’re looking forward to the race week with our fans and partners and hope for an exciting event!”