Ford has unveiled their FIA GT3 category Mustang Dark Horse-based race car at Le Mans, the car set to begin competing globally starting next year.
The manufacturer has officially entered the car into the global FIA GT3 category, meaning we can expect to see it on the grid at next year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans.
“Ford and Le Mans are bound together by history,” said Jim Farley, Ford Motor Company CEO, “And now we’re coming back to the most dramatic, most rewarding and most important race in the world. It is not Ford versus Ferrari anymore. It is Ford versus everyone. Going back to Le Mans is the beginning of building a global motorsports business with Mustang, just like we are doing with Bronco and Raptor off-road.”
Ford Performance is extending its relationship with two long-term partners, Multimatic and M-Sport, for the basis of the project, with Multimatic set to build and support the GT3. M-Sport will be responsible for assembling the Ford Performance-developed 5.4-liter Coyote-based V8 engines.
“For a project like the Mustang GT3, we turned to two of our most trusted partners in the motorsports world to help bring this vehicle and program together,” said Mark Rushbrook, Global Director, Ford Performance Motorsports. “I know we’ll all be as thrilled as Ford fans when Mustang begins racing at the highest levels of GT racing in 2024.”
The Mustang GT3 race car features a bespoke short-long arm suspension, rear-mounted transaxle gearbox, carbon fiber body panels, as well as a unique aero package developed to meet GT3 targets.
Proton Competition is the first customer team to declare its intent for fielding a Mustang entry in the 2024 World Endurance Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Ford Performance will also field a two-car factory race program in IMSA’s GTD Pro-Class.
Words & Images: Supplied
Additional Reporting: Matthew Sampson
