Manthey shuffles lineup for Watkins Glen return

Manthey is heading to Watkins Glen International for its third IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup start, but they are doing it with a shake-up. Because the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen falls on the same weekend as the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa, the team has had to move some pieces around to get their iconic cars on track.

In the GTD PRO class, Klaus Bachler will keep his seat in the No. 911 "Grello" Porsche 911 GT3 R (992). He’ll be joined by Porsche veteran Michael Christensen and series debutant Loek Hartog, as regular drivers Thomas Preining and Ricardo Feller head to Spa. Meanwhile, in the GTD class, Richard Lietz steps into the No. 912 machine to replace Morris Schuring, joining Ryan Hardwick and Riccardo Pera.

It is a massive logistical effort for a German team to plant their flag in the American market. As Lietz previously noted, the move to IMSA is a significant challenge, but one that sees the team banking on a mix of experienced hands and fresh faces to maintain the momentum from their recent win at the 12 Hours of Sebring.