Ford enters the GT3 class! – Together with multimatic and M-sport, a new V8 bolide based on the mustang is developed – first driver is an ex-DTM driver
Ford performance returns to international circuit racing in 2024 with a new mustang-based GT3 race car. the new race car will make its debut at the 24 hours of daytona in two years’ time.
Two factory cars are planned to participate in the GTD pro division of the north american IMSA sportscar championship. In this class, an all-professional driver crew is allowed on the grid. In addition, the new racing Mustang will also be available to customer teams for the GTD category starting in 2024.
Development of the new competition vehicle shared by ford performance and multimatic. The U.S.-Canadian motorsport specialists are also responsible for fielding the two factory cars in the IMSA.
The race version of the 5.0-liter V8 engine from ford’s coyote family is built at M-sport. The company, which is based in cumbria, uK, has been working successfully with the car manufacturer in the World Rally Championship (WRC) for 25 years and won the monte carlo rally last weekend with the new M-sport ford puma hybrid rally1.
"The mustang has been on the racetrack from the very beginning", says mark rushbrook, director of ford performance, responsible for the brand’s global motorsport commitment. "Soon we will be able to compete again with some of the world’s greatest car manufacturers with a GT3 version of this iconic sports car."
"The mustang’s history in endurance racing now stretches back 58 years and also includes appearances in NASCAR and the Australian supercars series. Now we’re ready to take the world stage again with the GT3 variant."
Cooperation with multimatic continues
"We have no doubt that multimatic motorsports is the perfect partner for this project", rushbrook continues. "We have worked together very successfully in the past on numerous mustang customer sports programs."
Ford and multimatic have already worked together on the GTE program
"But in particular, our recent collaborations with the Ford GT in the GTE category and with the bronco DR prove that together we can create racing commitments for Ford and our customers that lead to championships and titles."
The ford GT designed by ford performance and multimatic motorsports competed in the IMSA and the World Endurance Championship (WEC) starting in 2016. Its greatest success was the class victory at the 24 hours of le mans 2016.
The new bronco DR is suitable for customer use in desert races such as the baja 1000 in mexico. The abbreviation DR stands for "desert racer".
"We are very excited that ford performance has entrusted us with the development of the new mustang-based GT3 race car and, from 2024, with the IMSA factory program.", underlines larry holt, executive vice president responsible for "multimatic special
"We can look back on a long and great cooperation in the past – this concerns engagements at the highest profile level as well as the development of competitive customer sports vehicles and series. We are honored by the trust placed in us by ford. Both sides can’t wait to surprise the world with the new mustang GT3 race car."
The legend lives on: thick naturally aspirated V8 engine
The 5.0-liter V8 in the new mustang GT3 continues the tradition of atmospheric high-performance powerplants for the iconic sports car. It comes from ford performance and features numerous modifications to meet the high demands of racing in terms of packaging and performance. The production of the eight-cylinder engine is in the hands of M-sport.
Ford and M-sport have just won the monte carlo rally with sebastien loeb
"We are delighted to be able to extend our close relationship with ford to the circuit", emphasizes malcolm wilson, head and owner of M-sport. "Together we have enjoyed great success in the WRC over the past 25 years, including the debut of the new puma hybrid rally1 last weekend at rally monte carlo."
"M-sport also has a wealth of experience in racing. This has been proven by our [bentley] GT3 program, which uses a V8 engine developed by us and with which we took overall victory at the 1000 kilometers of paul ricard in 2019 and the 12 hours of bathurst a year later."
"At the same time, we are also equipping the British Touring Car Championship [BTCC] with a four-cylinder engine based on a ford power unit. to be able to start working on the new mustang GT3 together with ford performance and multimatic is a dream come true for us. We will turn every stone for this project, because we want to win many more races around the world."
The new mustang GT3 will feature a bespoke SLA front and rear suspension with asymmetrical double-wishbone (short-long arm) suspensions and a transaxle gearbox on the rear axle. In addition to a special aerodynamics package, numerous lightweight carbon-fiber components are added to ensure that the race car reaches the performance level of the GT3 category.
Joey hand becomes a factory driver once again
Another important component of the new racing program concerns the role of the test driver: it will be assumed by joey hand. In 2016, the u.s. driver was part of the quartet of drivers who won the 24 hours of le Mans in the GTE pro class with the ford GT. The development driver and driving instructor from ford performance will also compete in six NASCAR Cup circuit races in 2022 with a ford mustang from rick ware racing.
M-sport celebrated overall victory with bentley at the 2020 bathurst 12h race
"It’s just incredible to be part of another Ford motorsport program from the very beginning.", says the 42-year-old californian. "As much as I enjoy racing and winning, of course, I also enjoy driving the development of a new competition car."
"We’ve already done a lot of testing with the Ford GT. Now I’m looking forward to working with a lot of people from the past to make the car as competitive as possible."
New variant of the mustang GT4 also to be launched
In addition to the development of the new mustang GT3, ford and multimatic continue their collaboration on the successful mustang-based GT4 customer sports racing car. A new evolutionary stage is to celebrate its premiere in 2023.
"We are very keen that the commitment to the mustang GT4 continues as well", according to mark rushbrook. "Here in america as well as in europe we have already achieved many successes with the current model. In time for the start of the season, we want to offer our customers an even more competitive vehicle next year with the new mustang GT4."
In addition to the GT3 and GT4 versions of the mustang, which are designed for sports car racing, ford performance also offers other motorsport derivatives of the iconic "pony car" new one – including this year’s next generation ford mustang for the NASCAR cup. 2023 the gen3 version of the mustang followed for the australian supercar series.