Manthey Porsche Fastest In GT2 Prologue Test

A Porsche GT2 RS CS from Manthey Racing set the fastest time in the 2023 pre-season prologue test at Dijon for the GT2 European Series teams earlier this month.

Seven top-flight teams took to the track in France in preparation for the third season for the series, including cars from two new teams, Manthey Racing and RTR Projects. Among the 15 drivers taking the opportunity to test were seven new drivers also looking to secure a 2023 race seat.

Manthey Racing’s Porsche GT2 RS CS topped the four-hour session in showery conditions on the Tuesday morning, in the hands of Christoph Breuer and Marco Holzer. The best time from the Porsche was a 1:18.475. That lap was just 0.035 faster than the KTM X-BOW from RTR Project, with Erik Janis and Jan Krabec taking turns behind the wheel, and was the quickest of the day.

The third fastest time was set by the True Racing by Reiter Engineering KTM.

With the rain easing for the second and final session, it was 2022 Am Champion, LP Racing’s Henry Hassid who topped the order, ahead of the team’s Audi R8 LMS GT2 being tested by Team Principal Luca Pirri and Mattia Di Giusto. However, the best time in the session was a 1:19.620, almost a second slower than the best Manthey time from the morning.

RTR Projects ended up third, followed by the brace of Ebimotors Porsches and the True Racing KTM to complete the top six.

Here’s a look at the times:

Morning Session:
1st Manthey Racing – Breuer / Holzer – Porsche GT2 RS CS – 1:18.475
2nd RTR Projects – Erik Janis – KTM X-Bow GT2 +0.035
3rd True Racing – TBC – KTM X-Bow GT2 +1.906
4th LP Racing – Henry Hassid – Audi R8 LMS GT2 +2.213
5th LP Racing – Ratel / Pirri / Di Giusto – Audi R8 LMS GT2 + 3.890
6th Ebimotors – Valentin Flükinger – Porsche GT2 RS CS +5.538
7th Ebimotors – Aurelijus Rusteika – Porsche GT2 RS CS +5.638
8th PK Carsport – Longin / Guelinckx / Longin – Audi R8 LMS GT2

Afternoon Session:
1st LP Racing – Henry Hassid – Audi R8 LMS GT2 – 1:19.620
2nd LP Racing – Ratel / Pirri / Di Giusto – Audi R8 LMS GT2 +1.584
3rd RTR Projects – Erik Janis – KTM X-Bow GT2 +1.962
4th Ebimotors – Aurelijus Rusteika – Porsche GT2 RS CS + 4.644
5th Ebimotors – Raëd Charawi – Porsche GT2 RS CS +4.710
6th True Racing – TBC – KTM X-Bow GT2 +8.557
7th Manthey Racing – Breuer / Holzer – Porsche GT2 RS CS +9.555
8th PK Carsport – Longin / Guelinckx / Longin – Audi R8 LMS GT2

Following the test multiple teams confirmed their entries and driver line-ups ahead of the opening round.

This included the news that reigning GT2 European Series champion, Nicolas Saelens, will return to defend his Pro-Am title this season at the wheel of a KTM X-BOW GT2.

Saelens, who won the 2022 title alongside Stienes Longin in the PK Carsport Audi R8 LMS GT2, has confirmed his switch to the True Racing by Reiter Engineering squad. The Belgian will team up with last year’s Vice Champion, Stefan Rosina in the #15 KTM, making a formidable partnership certain to be at the forefront of the 2023 championship fight.

“The car felt great. The test in Dijon was very valuable for us in many ways. On the one hand to understand the car even better, on the other hand to get to know the racetrack in the dry and in the wet,” explained Saelens. “I’ve always been a fan of the KTM X-BOW GT2. The tests confirmed this again. Lots of power, fantastic brakes and an excellent gearbox characterise the car for me.”

Saelens and Rosina will lead a trio of entries for the True Racing by Reiter Engineering team this season. The squad will also include established GT2 stars, Klaus Angerhofer and Sehdi Sarmini in the #16 car, while Hubert Trunkenpolz returns to the series partnered with Reinhard Kofler in the #17 KTM X-BOW.

“I am really excited to join the Fanatec GT2 European Series,” said Kofler. “It’s a great championship, which is getting stronger and stronger, especially with all the manufacturers taking part this year and also the driver standard is really good. It’s a big opportunity for the team, KTM, me and Hubert Trunkenpolz and I’m really looking forward to getting some really good results and some podiums. They are some great tracks waiting for us and some great competition, so I can’t wait to start the engine – we’re ready to race!”

The KTM brand is also welcoming RTR Projects to its ranks for the first time 2023. The customer racing team from the Czech Republic and based in Brno will be announcing the driver line-up for its inaugural GT2 campaign shortly.

From Porsche’s stable of teams, Ebimotors has confirmed its return to the GT2 European Series for a third consecutive season with a brace of Porsches and a completely new line-up of drivers for an all-out assault on the Am title.

Joining the top Italian outfit, which earned the runner-up Am class spoils last year, will be the Lithuanian pairing of Aurelijus Rusteika and series newcomer Mantas Janavicius in the #5 Porsche 991 GT2 RS CS.

In the #911, Leonardo Gorini makes the switch to Ebimotors after a successful two years with LP Racing, finishing third in the 2022 Am standings thanks to a haul of five podium finishes.

Teaming up with new talent for 2023, he will be joined by Raed Charawi. The fellow Swiss driver will make his GT2 debut after a lengthy break from racing. The 57-year-old has previously raced in Super Trofeo and the GT4 European Cup.

Further team and driver announcements are expected ahead of the first round of the 2023 GT2 European Series season in Monza, Italy, on April 22/23

Images courtesy of GT2 European Series