Racing Team: How This Family Squad Beats the Pros
Without a factory contract and with just 18 employees, family-run Proton Competition regularly beats the billion-dollar professional teams. The squad from Ummendorf dominates everything from the Porsche Carrera Cup to the pinnacle of endurance racing, proving that passion and efficiency triumph over sheer budgets.
No factory contract. No billion-euro budget. Just 18 full-time employees. And yet Proton Competition has claimed class victories at Le Mans, won the 24 Hours of Daytona, and maintained an unbroken WEC entry record since 2012. This is the story of perhaps the most remarkable family business in motorsport.
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Three Generations of Motorsport
When Gerold Ried founded a racing team in 1996 in Ummendorf, a small town in southern Germany, nobody expected it to last three decades. Today his son Christian Ried holds the record of 85 consecutive WEC race starts — and grandson Jonas Ried is already racing prototypes in the European Le Mans Series.
Christian entered motorsport in 1999 at the age of 20, piloting a Porsche 993 GT2. By 2018 he had reached the top: a class victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans alongside Matt Campbell and the then 18-year-old Julien Andlauer, in pouring rain. It remains one of the most celebrated privateer wins in recent Le Mans history.
David vs. Goliath — and David Wins
Proton Competition occupies a unique place in world motorsport: it is the only team on the planet covering the full spectrum — from national one-make cups (Porsche Carrera Cup) to the pinnacle of endurance racing (FIA WEC Hypercar). No factory outfit does that. No other privateer comes close.
2025 saw the Carrera Cup squad deliver a dominant season: Robert De Haan claimed the drivers’ title with six wins and four pole positions, while teammate Sacha Norden secured the rookie crown. At the same time, Proton’s Ford Mustang GT3 took GTD Pro class honours at the 24 Hours of Daytona.
The numbers tell the story. Against factory-backed outfits with ten times the headcount, Proton consistently punches well above its weight.
The 2026 Season
This season Proton Competition is fielding an ambitious multi-series programme:
- FIA WEC (LMGT3): Two Ford Mustang GT3 Evo entries (#77 and #88), featuring former Formula 1 driver Logan Sargeant and Porsche factory driver Dennis Olsen
- European Le Mans Series: Two Porsche 911 GT3 R in LMGT3 and an Oreca 07 LMP2 with DTM legend Mike Rockenfeller and Jonas Ried
- Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland: Title defence in both the drivers’ and rookie standings with the all-new 992.2-generation Cup car
- Porsche Supercup: Races on the Formula 1 support bill at venues including Monaco, Spa and Monza
A Launchpad for Young Talent
Proton’s track record of developing young drivers into world-class competitors is remarkable. Laurin Heinrich won the Carrera Cup rookie category with the team in 2021 — by 2024 he was a fully-fledged Porsche factory driver. Robert De Haan followed the same path: from Proton newcomer to Carrera Cup champion in a single season.
The route is clear: Carrera Cup → Supercup → ELMS → WEC → Le Mans. Proton is one of the very few teams in the world capable of offering a driver a complete career ladder under one roof.
The Hollywood Chapter
Between 2014 and 2020, Proton operated a joint venture with Patrick Dempsey – the actor who gained worldwide fame as Dr. Derek Shepherd in Grey’s Anatomy. As Dempsey-Proton, the partnership achieved a sensational second place at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2015. More importantly, it brought the team – and endurance racing as a whole – to a global audience that extended far beyond the motorsport bubble.
What makes Proton special
In an era of manufacturer-dominated motorsport, Proton Competition proves that a family-run team with in-depth expertise, smart decisions, and pure passion can compete at the top. From Ummendorf to Le Mans, from the Carrera Cup to the WEC – this is independent motorsport in its best form.
Source of title image: Pexels / Dawid Tkocz
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Proton Competition?
Proton Competition is a family-run motorsport team from Ummendorf in southern Germany. Founded in 1996 by Gerold Ried, it is the only private team worldwide to compete across every level—from the national Porsche Carrera Cup to the FIA WEC Hypercar class at Le Mans.
How many employees does Proton Competition have?
Proton Competition operates with just around 18 full-time staff—a fraction of what factory-supported teams can field. Despite this, the team has achieved class victories at Le Mans, Daytona, and in the WEC.
Has Proton Competition won at Le Mans?
Yes. In 2018, Proton Competition won the class title at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Christian Ried, Matt Campbell, and then-18-year-old Julien Andlauer—racing through torrential rain.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What should you know about Drei Generationen Rennsport?
When Gerold Ried founded a racing team in 1996 in Ummendorf, a small town in southern Germany, no one expected it to last three decades. Today, his son Christian Ried holds the record for 85 consecutive WEC race entries—and grandson Jonas Ried is racing
What should you know about David gegen Goliath – und David gewinnt?
Proton Competition is unique in global motorsport: it’s the only team worldwide covering the full spectrum—from national one-make series (Porsche Carrera Cup) to the pinnacle of endurance racing (FIA WEC Hypercar). No factory team does that. No other privateer
What should you know about Die Saison 2026?
This season, Proton Competition is launching an ambitious multi-series program:
FIA WEC (LMGT3): Two Ford Mustang GT3 Evo cars (#77 and #88), including entries with former Formula 1 driver Logan Sargeant and Porsche factory driver Dennis Olsen
European Le Mans Series: Two Porsche 911 GT3 R in the
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