Ford Mustang GT3 explained

Car Name:Ford Mustang GT3
Category:IMSA SportsCar Championship (GTD Pro & GTD)
FIA World Endurance Championship (LMGT3)
GT World Challenge Europe
Constructor: Ford (Multimatic)
Team: Multimatic Motorsports
Proton Competition
Drivers: Mike Rockenfeller
Joey Hand
Christopher Mies
Harry Tincknell
Capacity:5.4L
Engine Name:Ford Coyote
Configuration:V8
Turbo/Na:naturally aspirated,
Engine Position:Front-engine
Power:550hp
Weight:1289 kg
Fuel:TotalEnergies (WEC)
VP Racing Fuels (IMSA)
Gearbox Name:Xtrac racing transaxle with ESA shift
Gears:6-speed
Transmission Type:sequential manual
Debut:2024 24 Hours of Daytona
Designer:Anthony Colard (Design Manager, Ford Performance)[1]

The Ford Mustang GT3 is a racing car designed and developed by Ford Performance and Multimatic Motorsports according to GT3 regulations.[2] [3] In 2022 it was announced that the Ford Mustang GT3 is in development. The car is the race variant of the seventh-generation edition of the Ford Mustang. It was unveiled as part of the 100th anniversary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans on June 9, 2023. Its first race was the 2024 24 Hours of Daytona. It competes in the IMSA SportsCar Championship and the FIA WEC as well as other major GT races such as the 24 Hours of Spa. The German racing team Proton Competition has been confirmed as the first customer team to run the Ford Mustang GT3.[4]

Powertrain

The Ford Mustang GT3 car is powered by 5.4-litre naturally aspirated Ford Coyote-based V8 which was developed by Ford Performance and their long-term partner in the World Rally Championship M-Sport. For better weight distribution they moved the Six speed Xtrac racing transaxle with ESA shift to the rear axle. Also, there are Bosch Motorsport MS6.4 ECU, Four-plate AP racing clutch as well as MEGA-line E-clutch actuation built into the car.[5]

Chassis

The chassis is based on the seventh-generation Mustang. It features a FIA homologated fully-integrated compliant racing cage as well as other safety devices. It has Multimatic five-wayadjustable DSSV dampers, a double wishbone suspension on both axles and Alcon brake discs. The Ford is equipped with a highly developed aero-packageand has quickly replaceable parts of carbon fiber bodywork which caused some issues in theraces when boot lids and diffusers came loose or completely fell off the race cars.[6]

Teams

TeamCompetitionEntries
Gradient RacingIMSA SportsCar Championship (GTD class: from 2025)IMSA: #66
Haupt Racing TeamDeutsche Tourenwagen Masters,
GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Endurance Cup,
Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie / Nürburgring 24 Hours (SP9 class) (from 2025)
DTM: #68, #TBC
GTWC Europe: #TBC
NLS/N24: #TBC
Proton CompetitionFIA WEC,
GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Endurance Cup,[7]
IMSA SportsCar Championship (GTD class)
WEC: #77, #88
GTWC Europe: #64
IMSA: #55
Multimatic MotorsportsIMSA SportsCar Championship (GTD Pro class)IMSA: #64, #65

Successes

In its first season the Ford Mustang GT3 experienced a couple of tough races. Even though some problems the #64 Ford run by Multimatic Motorsports achieved a second-place finish at Virginia International Raceway in the GTD Pro class. On the same race weekend the Mustang by Proton Competition also achieved the first pole position for a Ford Mustang GT3 car.[8]

However, the biggest achievement was the podium at the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans when the #88 scored a third place at the famous race.[9]

Racing results

Complete IMSA SportsCar Championship results

(key) Races in bold indicates pole position. Races in italics indicates fastest lap.

Year! rowspan="2"
EntrantClassDriversRounds
12345678910
2024 Ford Multimatic MotorsportsGTD Pro Mike Rockenfeller
Harry Tincknell
Christopher Mies
64All
All
1-2
DAY
6
SEB
7
LGA
9
DET
11
WGL
5
MOS
4
ELK
10
VIR
2
IMS
PET
8th*2176*
Joey Hand
Dirk Müller
Frédéric Vervisch
65All
All
1-2
DAY
9
SEB
8
LGA
8
DET
6
WGL
10
MOS
7
ELK
8
VIR
4
IMS
PET
9th*2070*
Proton CompetitionGTD Giammarco Levorato
Corey Lewis
Ryan Hardwick
Dennis Olsen
55All
All
1-2, 5
1
DAY
20
SEB
16
LBH
5
LGA
7
WGL
17
MOS
12
ELK
8
VIR
8
IMS
PET
13th*1731*

Complete FIA World Endurance Championship results

(key) Races in bold indicates pole position. Races in italics indicates fastest lap.

Year! rowspan="2"
EntrantClassDriversRounds
12345678
2024 Proton CompetitionLMGT3 John Hartshorne
Christopher Mies
Ben Tuck
444
4
4
QAT
IMO
SPA
LMS
4
SAP
COA
FUJ
BHR
NC*0*
Ben Barker
Ryan Hardwick
Zacharie Robichon
77All
All
All
QAT
11
IMO
9
SPA
9
LMS
17
SAP
7
COA
6
FUJ
BHR
14th*18*
Dennis Olsen
Mikkel O. Pedersen
Giorgio Roda
Christian Ried
Ben Keating
88All
All
1-4
5, 7
6
QAT
9
IMO
Ret
SPA
8
LMS
3
SAP
13
COA
NC
FUJ
BHR
9th*37*

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Pony 'N Snake . September 3, 2024 . Anthony Colard: designer des Mustang GTD et GT3 . Anthony Colard: designer of the Mustang GTD and GT3. October 24, 2024.
  2. Web site: Ford . September 3, 2024 . Ford Mustang® GT3 Race Car . September 3, 2024 . www.ford.com.
  3. Web site: Multimatic Motorsports . September 3, 2024 . Ford Mustang® GT3 Bred to Race. . September 3, 2024 . www.multimaticmotorsports.com.
  4. Web site: Ford Media . June 9, 2023 . Ford kehrt 2024 mit dem Mustang GT3 in den GT-Rennsport und zu den 24 Stunden von Le Mans zurück . September 3, 2024 . media.ford.com.
  5. Web site: Ford Performance and Multimatic Motorsports . August 5, 2024 . FORD MUSTANG GT3: BRED TO RACE . September 3, 2024 . www.multimaticmotorsports.com.
  6. Web site: Purcell . Alexandra . May 11, 2024 . FIA approves fix for Ford Mustang GT3 . September 4, 2024 . fordauthority.com.
  7. Web site: GT World Challenge Europe . September 4, 2024 . Proton Competition Ford Mustang GT3 . September 4, 2024 . www.gt-world-challenge-europe.com.
  8. Web site: MediaProton . August 25, 2024 . Proton Competition holt in Virginia die weltweit erste Pole für den neuen Ford Mustang GT3 . September 4, 2024 . proton-competition.com.
  9. Web site: MediaProton . June 16, 2024 . Podium in Le Mans für Proton Competition und den Ford Mustang GT3 . September 4, 2024 . proton-competition.com.