Didn't Porsche do the same in 2006 when Manthey raced the 997 RSR before other teams got their hands on it in 2007 ?
I was at the 2007 ALMS pre season test at Sebring, and Flying Lizard had their 997 RSR just delivered then, while Manthey won the Nürburgring 24h in a 997 the year before. The Lizards, Prospeed, Felbermayer ... wil have their RSR in 2014.
Manthey has had factory support for years, and is known as one the best teams working together with Porsche in Europe. During VLN and 24h of the Ring, they always had factory support, just like they had factory support during their season in the GT open this year. Guess Mark will be right with this one, a full Porsche factory team, racing under the Manthey banner.