One of the defining personalities in German motorsport has reason to celebrate: On April 21, 2025, Olaf Manthey will turn 70 years old. The native of Bonn has shaped motorsport like few others – initially as a successful race car driver, later as a team principal and businessman.
Born in 1955 in Bonn, Manthey completed an apprenticeship as a mechanical engineer after attending a secondary school in Remagen, while working as an excavator driver. His passion for motorsport was ignited early when he attended a Formula One race at the Nürburgring with his father.
Manthey dreamed of becoming a racing driver one day. He worked his way to the top with simple means, a lot of passion, and extraordinary talent. At the age of 18, he obtained his racing license and began his career initially in hill climb racing before driving formula cars for a year.
However, Manthey ultimately found his place in touring car racing: In 1982, he competed in the Ford Sports Cup for the first time and won the championship on his debut with the Ford Escort RS 2000, a car featuring a two-liter engine, 186 hp, and four gears, which he successfully defended the following year.
A Factory Contract Secures Manthey’s Career
Privately, things were going well for the Bonn native during this time: In 1982, he married his wife Renate, who has since not only supported him as a wife and mother of their two children but has also always provided the necessary backing in motorsport.
In 1984, Olaf Manthey first competed in the German Production Car Championship (DPM), the predecessor of today’s DTM. His factory driver contract with Austin Rover kept him from an early end to his career, into which he had invested all his savings. In his two years in the series, the now 70-year-old finished in second place in the championship both times.
In 1990, Manthey had his first contact with Porsche: When the Porsche Carrera Cup was newly created, he decided to enter, not least because of the enticing prize money. Initially struggling with the rear-wheel-drive Porsche 911 Carrera 2 Cup (Type 964), Manthey quickly adapted and ultimately crowned himself the series’ first champion.
From Driver to Technician to Team Principal
His training as a mechanical engineer was always a great help, which led him to become the technical director at Persson Motorsport in the DTM starting in 1994. When the team withdrew from the series, the countdown to starting his own racing team began.
In 1996, the native of Bonn, who had already previously built and raced his own race cars, founded his own team, “Manthey Racing,” which quickly became a benchmark in international motorsport.
Between 1997 and 2000, Manthey celebrated four consecutive wins in the driver and team standings in the Porsche Supercup alongside Dutchman Patrick Huisman. This series of success remains unbeaten to this day and laid the foundation for the rise of the small racing team, which started with three permanent employees.
As team principal, Manthey also climbed back behind the wheel, focusing primarily on endurance races at the Nürburgring. Between 1992 and 1995, he achieved 22 overall victories in the VLN in the Mercedes 190 Evo II.
End of Career as a Professional Race Driver in 2005
His 30th overall victory would prove to be Manthey’s most emotional success: At his farewell race in 2005, the team principal celebrated a dominant win alongside Timo Bernhard, making him the series’ most successful driver to this day.
Although Manthey is still active in historical motorsport today, this race marked the end of his career as a professional driver. He then focused on his role as team principal, which brought him success in 2006 that he had never achieved in his previous participations as a driver: winning the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring.
The winning car was a yellow-green Porsche 911 GT3-MR, whose eye-catching paint scheme was originally planned to be pure yellow for better visibility in the dense field of starters—a suggestion from Olaf Manthey that met resistance from his employees and his wife Renate.
The compromise was a yellow-green color scheme, which is considered the precursor to today’s legendary “Grello” Porsche. With “the Fat One,” a 911 GT3 RSR in the same design, the team also won the 24-hour race in 2007, 2008, and 2009. After this successful series, three more victories followed, with the last in 2021. To this day, this number remains unmatched.
Manthey Withdraws from Active Business
2013 marked a significant step in the history of Manthey Racing GmbH: The merger with Raeder Motorsport and the entry of Porsche AG with a 51 percent stake paved the way for a promising future.
As part of this, brothers Martin and Nicolas Raeder took over the management of the company. Two years later, Olaf Manthey stepped back from active business but remains closely connected to the company.
“With his clear vision and passion, he founded Manthey and laid the foundation for where we are today,” says Nicolas Raeder. “Although many things have changed since then, we have managed to continue the values and mindset that Olaf has exemplified from the very beginning.”
“Set Standards with Innovative Spirit and Experience”
Manthey continues to contribute his experience, which in 2023 led to winning the DTM team and driver standings. “It is a joy to see how proud he is of what the company has become and that he still supports us in important strategic decisions and race entries,” says Raeder.
“Olaf has set standards with his innovative spirit and experience,” adds Martin Raeder. “You can ask him anything, and as a well-known and respected personality, he is well connected in motorsport and beyond.”
“Olaf’s openness to new, even unconventional ideas has been and is a key to his success and the success of Manthey.” In short: Olaf Manthey has become an icon of motorsport, whose passion remains unbroken even at 70 years old.
” name=”Olaf Manthey celebrates 70 years in motorsport” size=”1536×1024″ class=”aligncenter”
Story Highlight
– Olaf Manthey will turn 70 on April 21, 2025.
– He shaped German motorsport as a driver and team principal.
– Founder of “Manthey Racing,” internationally successful in motorsport.
– Ended professional career in 2005, focused on team leadership.
– Remains active in the motorsport scene and supports strategically.
Full Story
Olaf Manthey, a pivotal figure in German motorsport, is set to celebrate his 70th birthday on April 21, 2025. Hailing from Bonn, Manthey’s influence in the racing world spans decades, beginning with his own career as a successful driver and evolving into his roles as a team principal and businessman.
Born in 1955, Manthey’s early years included an apprenticeship as a mechanical engineer while he worked as a digger driver. His passion for motorsport ignited after attending a Formula One race at the Nürburgring with his father. From a young age, Manthey aspired to be a racer. By the time he turned 18, he acquired his racing licence, initially competing in hill climb events before a brief foray into Formula racing.
His breakthrough came in touring car racing, where in 1982 he made a remarkable debut by winning the Ford Sports Cup aboard the Ford Escort RS 2000, a car featuring a two-litre engine and 186 horsepower. Manthey successfully defended his championship title the following year. Around this time, he also married Renate, who has been a steadfast supporter throughout his career and personal life.
Manthey later participated in the Deutsche-Produktionswagen-Meisterschaft (DPM), the precursor to today’s DTM, in 1984. A factory contract with Austin Rover safeguarded his racing career, which he had heavily invested in financially. Throughout his two years in the series, he secured two second-place finishes in the championship.
In 1990, he found his calling with Porsche, entering the newly formed Porsche Carrera Cup. Despite encountering initial challenges with the rear-wheel-drive Porsche 911 Carrera 2 Cup (Type 964), he quickly adapted and became the series’ inaugural champion.
Leveraging his background in mechanical engineering, Manthey transitioned into technical roles, becoming technical director at Persson Motorsport in the DTM by 1994. Following the team’s withdrawal from the series, he seized the opportunity to establish his own racing team, Manthey Racing, in 1996. The team rapidly gained prominence in the international motorsport scene.
From 1997 to 2000, alongside Dutch driver Patrick Huisman, Manthey’s team dominated the Porsche Supercup, winning the driver and team championships for four consecutive years, an unparalleled success that was crucial for the team’s early growth.
Although Manthey took on team management responsibilities, he continued to compete, particularly in endurance races at the Nürburgring, where he amassed 22 overall wins in the VLN between 1992 and 1995.
His last professional race in 2005 culminated in an emotional victory alongside Timo Bernhard, solidifying his status as one of the series’ most successful drivers. Following this race, Manthey focused exclusively on his role as team principal and claimed a significant victory at the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring in 2006, a triumph he had never achieved in his earlier driving career. The winning car, a striking yellow-green Porsche 911 GT3-MR, had a distinctive livery that evolved from his original vision to improve visibility in a crowded field.
Manthey’s team’s winning streak continued, securing additional victories in 2007, 2008, and 2009, along with further wins up until 2021, marking an impressive record that remains unmatched.
A major milestone for Manthey Racing occurred in 2013 when the team merged with Raeder Motorsport. Porsche AG acquired a 51% stake in the company, paving the way for a promising future, which included the Raeder brothers, Martin and Nicolas, taking over the management.
In 2015, Manthey stepped back from day-to-day operations but remains closely associated with the team. Nicolas Raeder remarked on Manthey’s vision and dedication that laid the foundation for the team’s success, stating, “Although many changes have taken place, we have managed to uphold the values and mindset that Olaf exemplified from the very beginning.”
Manthey continues to lend his expertise, contributing to the team’s achievements, including winning the DTM team and driver championships in 2023. Martin Raeder emphasized Manthey’s influence, highlighting his openness to new and unconventional ideas as instrumental to the team’s success.
As he approaches his 70th birthday, Olaf Manthey stands as an enduring icon in motorsport, with a passion that shows no sign of waning.
