Porsche will field a pair of works backed cars in the 2013 FIA World Endurance Championship run by Porsche AG Team Manthey.
The announcement means that for the first time since taking overall victory in 1998 a factory Porsche squad will take on the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Porsche banner being carried by customer teams such as Team-Felbermayr Proton of Flying Lizard Motorsports in the intervening period.
Responsibility for team will be carried by Olaf Manthey. Though a new name to the WEC Manthey is familiar with both Porsches and endurance racing his eponymous team running Porsche cars in the Nurburgring 24 Hours, with five overall wins, including four consecutive wins from 2006-2009, to their name. The team has also recently run a Porsche in the International GT Open series, drivers Nick Tandy and Marco Holzer finishing second in the championship point at the end of the 2012 season.
The team will run brand new cars based on the latest generation of the marque’s 911 model.
“The new 911 RSR is currently being developed by our engineers and tested by our works drivers,” says Porsche head of motorsport, Hartmut Kristen. “What better time could there be to introduce the new car than the Porsche 911’s 50th anniversary.”
Manthey is a familiar name in endurance racing around the Nurburgring Nordschleife (Photo Credit: Chris Gurton Photography)
The 2013 World Endurance Championship begins at Silverstone on April 13-14, the complete entry list for both the WEC and the 24 Hours of Le Mans will be announced on January 31.
