Porsche contested the 2023 DTM season with three groups, however as issues stand solely Manthey EMA has dedicated to persevering with within the collection subsequent yr. Group Bernhard has determined to step down completely from GT3 racing as a consequence of excessive prices, whereas Toksport WRT remains to be working with Porsche concerning a programme for subsequent yr.
Toksport WRT made waves on its DTM debut when it outshone the whole area at Oschersleben, clinching an emphatic victory with Christian Engelhart and scoring two different podiums between Englehart and rookie Tim Heinemann. In actual fact, so spectacular have been Toksport’s ends in the opening double header that Heinemann took the lead of the championship at this early stage of the season.
Nevertheless, Oschersleben would show to be a false daybreak for Toksport and the crew would fail to interrupt inside the highest 10 within the remaining seven rounds of the season. A mid-season determination to switch Engelhart with Marvin Dienst additionally failed to assist the squad in turning round its fortunes.
Group Bernhard sometimes appeared on the entrance in 2023 courtesy of two podiums and a pole by Laurin Heinrich, however no Porsche crew discovered a recipe in opposition to the championship-winning Manthey EMA operation.
Beating the German squad is hard as Manthey is 51% owned by Porsche and from this angle its involvement within the DTM might be thought of a pseudo-factory effort. Critics query whether or not Porsche would permit one other crew to be stronger – and even on par – with Manthey EMA.
This was one of many elements that acted as a deterrent for SSR Efficiency from getting into the 2023 season with Porsche, with the squad finally becoming a member of forces with rival model Lamborghini.
Porsche, nonetheless, maintains that it helps all its crew equally. This consists of the supply of spare elements and technical help, and in particular instances, efficiency help, which consists of Porsche drivers and engineers.
“We don’t take over the vehicles, that’s crucial to us,” defined Porsche Motorsport Director Thomas Laudenbach. “Every crew has its personal engineers, we’re advisory.
“There may be additionally to a really small extent monetary help. On this sense, monetary means elements packages. The financing, the enterprise case, lies largely with the groups. That is precisely the distinction to manufacturing facility motorsport.”
Photograph by: Alexander Trienitz
Ayhancan Güven, KÜS Group Bernhard Porsche 911 GT3-R
Manthey managing director Nicki Raeder additionally emphasised the distinction between its DTM programme and its full-factory GTE Professional programme within the World Endurance Championship, which got here to an finish in 2022 previous to its arrival within the DTM.
“Within the WEC there have been two to 5 factories that coordinated with one another,” he mentioned. “Right here we now have 13-14 folks accountable and the factories generally present extra and generally much less help, however the backside line is that everybody works for themselves.”
However even after taking these factors into consideration, it’s clear that Manthey EMA is in a wonderful monetary place and is aware of the 911 GT3 R higher than some other crew. In the mean time, curiosity within the DTM amongst different Porsche groups appears to be pretty restricted.
Which Porsche groups might be DTM candidates?
The query stays as to which crew (or groups) would be capable of fill the hole after Bernhard’s exit. Rutronik might be a candidate, however there was nothing to counsel that the Remchingen-based German crew is seeking to enter the crew.
Allied Racing, which entered a Porsche 911 GT3 R in final yr’s ADAC GT Masters, and the Joos crew, which competed with two Porsches within the ADAC GT Masters this yr, are additionally seen as potential choices.
Sven Schnabl’s crew can even get entangled within the DTM however this received’t be potential underneath the Falken banner, because the DTM has mandated using Pirelli tyres within the collection.
Then there’s the ex-Audi Automotive Assortment Competitors crew, which competed in GT World Problem Europe this yr.
Each Proton and Dinamic have defected to Ford, so that they not play a job.
Utilizing a Porsche within the DTM will not be low cost, as there are only some vehicles that value as a lot because the 911 GT3 R does up entrance. And the DTM, with its excessive stage of efficiency and the one-driver-per-car idea, is an costly GT3 championship to participate in anyway.
So, it seems there might be a most of two Porsche groups that may compete within the DTM in 2024.
Photograph by: Alexander Trienitz
Dennis Olsen, Manthey EMA Porsche 911 GT3-R
