Manthey has long been a powerhouse in endurance racing, earning four team championships across multiple European series. However, the team had yet to establish a true presence in the United States—until now.

The driver lineup of Thomas Preining, Klaus Bachler, and Ricardo Feller delivered a strong performance to secure a GTD Pro class victory for the No. 911 “Grello” Porsche at the end of the 12-hour contest. Manthey, along with fellow Porsche entrant No. 77 AO Racing, set the pace in class and showcased the strength of the German manufacturer throughout the weekend.

Now, Manthey’s breakthrough win could serve as a launching point for future success within the IMSA paddock.

“It makes me very, very proud,” said Feller. “It’s something special within all the Porsche cars. Every Porsche driver wants to drive it. Of course, if you win a race with it, it’s already great. Now this is the beginning of a new chapter for the Grello in the U.S. That’s the first victory. I’m pretty sure it won’t be the last one.”

“Big thanks to the team,” Preining stated. “It’s been a Herculean effort for them to come all the way from Europe to be able to drive in the first place at all. Then obviously try to drive well and quickly, at the front. Then obviously in the second start now to pull it off and win the race, which is really special. Big, big teamwork is necessary today. It was a very difficult race. Difficult to always have the right strategy. To position yourself for the end when it counts. To also have the car quick when it counts has been kind of the challenge of the week, let’s say, to find the right setup. I think obviously we did a good enough job at least. Yeah, I cannot complain. Really good.”

The No. 911 Manthey entry is now tied for the GTD Pro championship lead. However, that standing remains secondary, as the team plans to contest only the Michelin Endurance Cup rounds.

When asked about a potential championship push following their strong start, Preining responded, “don’t think so. The manager (Nicolas Raeder) is standing behind there (smiling).”

Manthey will look to continue its momentum in June at the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen at Watkins Glen.