Porsche team first entry confirmed for 2023 Bathurst 12 Hour

A German powerhouse and a local outfit will combine to field a Porsche in what is the first confirmed entry for the 2023 Liqui Moly Bathurst 12 Hour.

Manthey-Racing will continue its fledgling partnership with Australia’s EMA Motorsport to tackle the Mount Panorama GT enduro for the second time next year, after debuting in 2018.

The ‘Manthey EMA’ entry will feature a Pro driver line-up in a Porsche 911 GT3 R carrying the German outfit’s famous green and yellow ‘Grello’ livery next February at Bathurst.

Drivers are not set to be announced until the New Year, although the signs are that it will be an all-star roster comprised of some of the best which the Weissach marque can offer.

That is because Porsche AG is a majority shareholder in Manthey-Racing GmbH, while EMA made its 24 Hours of Spa debut in July with an all-factory combination of Matt Campbell, Mathieu Jaminet, and Felipe Nasr.

Then, in October, when it entered a round of the Nürburgring Endurance Series with the support of Manthey, its drivers were 2019 Bathurst 12 Hour winner Dennis Olsen and Matteo Cairoli.

With Intercontinental GT Challenge points on the line at Bathurst, expectations are likely to be high, even in what will be one of the last starts for the 991.2-generation of the GT3 R before the new 992-spec machine debuts later in 2023.

Nicolas Raeder, Managing Director of Manthey Racing GmbH, said, “The season opener of the Intercontinental GT Challenge in Bathurst is a special highlight in the racing calendar, and we are looking forward to starting our motorsport year 2023 with this event together with EMA.

“With its hilly sections, the Mount Panorama circuit is reminiscent of the Nordschleife and places very high demands on both the vehicle and the drivers.

“This is exactly where we’re experienced from our stints in the Green Hell. And we clearly want to compete for victory in Australia.”

While EMA has competed internationally, the Melbourne-based team has also become a fixture of Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia, fielding David Russell to third in the Pro class this year.

Next year’s Bathurst 12 Hour takes place on February 3-5.