Closer to perfection

IGTC: 24H Nürburgring & Bathurst 12 Hour

The myth of the Nordschleife and arguably the most demanding 24-hour race for man and machine continues to captivate us year after year. Since this year, the world's toughest endurance race is part of the Intercontinental GT Challenge. As the record winner with a total of 7 overall victories, we took up the challenge true to the motto "Everyone praises what the Nürburgring tests" and once again gave our all for the 8th overall victory from 30 May to 2 June 2024.

At the beginning of the year, we took part in the first IGTC race of the season in Bathurst, Australia. Manthey already finished in the top six in the 2018 endurance race. Last year, Manthey and EMA Motorsport competed together for the first time in the legendary 12-hour race. The Grello-Porsche entered crossed the finish line of the 6.213 kilometre circuit in second place, less than a second behind the winner.

Team & Driver

ALL INFORMATION ABOUT THE TEAM & DRIVERS

24H Nürburgring (30.05.2024-02.06.2024)

In 2024, Manthey EMA once again entered a 911 Grello Porsche in the 24 Hours of the Nürburgring. The team finished the 52nd edition of the 24 Hours of the Nürburgring in second place on the podium. The Porsche 911 GT3 R took the chequered flag after just 50 laps, the shortest race in the history of the 24 Hours. The race was abandoned due to persistent fog and then re-started behind the safety car.

Kévin Estre and Laurens Vanthoor, two experienced and victorious Nordschleife drivers, were at the wheel of the Porsche 911 GT3 R. Estre has been an integral part of the Manthey entries on the Nordschleife since 2016. In 2021, he clinched the team's seventh overall victory at the Green Hell. Since 2023, the Frenchman is part of the Porsche works driver line-up in the FIA WEC Hypercar class. Laurens Vanthoor also drives a Porsche 963 in the World Endurance Championship. The Belgian celebrated his most recent race success with Manthey EMA at the Bathurst 12 Hours in early February.

Thomas Preining and Ayhancan Güven complete the driver quartet. Both drivers compete for Manthey EMA in the 2024 DTM season. Preining, who won the DTM Team and Drivers' Championships with Manthey EMA in 2023, competed at the Grello on the Nordschleife last year. Güven made a successful debut with Manthey EMA at the Bathurst 12 Hours in early February this year, finishing his first endurance race with the team as the winner. 

Bathurst 12 Hour (15.02.2024-17.02.2024)

Manthey EMA kicked off the 2024 motorsport season at the Mount Panorama Circuit in New South Wales. The team won both the overall and Pro-AM standings for the first time on the Mount Panorama circuit. The Grello Porsche with the number 912 won the 12-hour marathon at Bathurst by 2.6 seconds after a gruelling race. The 911 secured victory in the Pro-AM classification by finishing ninth overall.

At the wheel of the number 912 Porsche were Matt Campbell and Laurens Vanthoor, two Porsche drivers with Bathurst experience. While local hero Campbell was already a member of the 2023 driver squad and recently won the 24 Hours of Daytona for Porsche, Belgian Vanthoor last competed in the 24 Hours of Spa for Manthey EMA. Former Porsche Junior Ayhancan Güven, known from the DTM, celebrated his debut at the Mount Panorama circuit. Another Australian driver, Yasser Shahin, started the 12-hour race at the wheel of the Porsche number 911. Shahin has enjoyed numerous successes in the GT World Challenge Australia for EMA Motorsport, most recently with Matt Campbell in the Adelaide 500. Briton Harry King made a successful racing debut for the team in Australia at the Bathurst 1000 of the Porsche Carrera Cup Australia 2023, taking three out of three race wins. Alessio Picariello, a professional driver who has recently enjoyed success in the FIA WEC, GT World Challenge Asia and European Le Mans Series, completed The Bend Manthey EMA driver trio.