Manthey EMA

Manthey Racing was founded in 1996 by Olaf Manthey, who had previously twice finished runner-up in the DTM as a driver. From a small outfit in the Eifel village of Meuspath, the team grew within a few years into one of the most successful GT racing operations in the world, best known for its Porsche entries at the 24 Hours of the Nürburgring on the Nordschleife.

One chapter stands out in particular: in 2016 the team unveiled a Porsche 911 GT3 R in a striking yellow-green livery, named after the paint colour of an old mountain bike belonging to team boss Nicolas Raeder. “Green” and “Yellow” combined to become “Grello”, and the car went on to become a fan favourite on the Nordschleife, with seven overall wins at the 24-hour race between 2006 and 2021.

In 2023, Manthey, together with partner team EMA Motorsport, entered the DTM under the name Manthey EMA with two new Porsche 911 GT3 R cars. Success came immediately: Thomas Preining won the drivers’ championship on debut, the team won the teams’ championship, and Porsche secured its first-ever manufacturers’ title in DTM history. In 2025, the team pulled off another major coup, this time with three cars: Ayhancan Güven clinched the drivers’ title in a nail-biting finale, Morris Schuring was crowned Rookie of the Year, and Manthey defended its teams’ championship.

The team’s dual role, as a Porsche customer squad that also runs the manufacturer’s GT factory programmes while racing against other Porsche teams, is unusual in motorsport but has paid off handsomely for Manthey. Porsche has held a 51 percent stake in the company since 2015, with the business led by brothers Nicolas and Martin Raeder.

For the 2026 season, Manthey EMA fields Thomas Preining alongside newcomer Ricardo Feller, who previously raced as an Audi works driver. As the reigning team and drivers’ champion, the bright yellow Grello once again ranks among the leading title contenders in the DTM.