Ford Mustang GT3
 | |
| Category | IMSA SportsCar Championship (GTD Pro & GTD) FIA World Endurance Championship (LMGT3) GT World Challenge Europe |
|---|---|
| Constructor |  Ford  Multimatic |
| Technical specifications | |
| Engine | 5.4 L (330 cu in) V8 naturally aspirated, Front-engine |
| Transmission | Xtrac racing transaxle with ESA shift 6-speed sequential manual |
| Power | 550 hp (410 kW) |
| Weight | 1289 kg |
| Fuel | TotalEnergies (WEC) VP Racing Fuels (IMSA) |
| Competition history | |
| Notable entrants | Multimatic Motorsports Proton Competition |
| Notable drivers | Mike Rockenfeller Joey Hand Christopher Mies Harry Tincknell |
| Debut | 2024 24 Hours of Daytona |
The Ford Mustang GT3 is a racing car designed and developed by Ford Performance and Multimatic Motorsports according to GT3 regulations.[1][2] 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.[3]
Powertrain
[edit]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.[4]
Chassis
[edit]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-way adjustable DSSV dampers, a double wishbone suspension on both axles and Alcon brake discs.[4] The Ford is equipped with a highly developed aero-package and has quickly replaceable parts of carbon fiber bodywork which caused some issues in the races when boot lids and diffusers came loose or completely fell off the race cars.[5]
Teams
[edit]| Team | Competition | Entries |
|---|---|---|
| Proton Competition
|
FIA WEC, GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Endurance Cup,[6] IMSA SportsCar Championship (GTD class) | WEC: #77 #88
GTWC Europe: #64 IMSA: #55 |
| Multimatic Motorsports
|
IMSA SportsCar Championship (GTD Pro class) | IMSA: #64 #65 |
Successes
[edit]In its first season the Ford Mustang GT3 experienced a couple of tough races. Even though some problems[5] 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.[7]
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.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ Ford (September 3, 2024). "Ford Mustang® GT3 Race Car". www.ford.com. Retrieved September 3, 2024.
- ^ Multimatic Motorsports (September 3, 2024). "Ford Mustang® GT3 Bred to Race". www.multimaticmotorsports.com. Retrieved September 3, 2024.
- ^ 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". media.ford.com. Retrieved September 3, 2024.
- ^ a b Ford Performance and Multimatic Motorsports (August 5, 2024). "FORD MUSTANG GT3: BRED TO RACE" (PDF). www.multimaticmotorsports.com. Retrieved September 3, 2024.
- ^ a b Purcell, Alexandra (May 11, 2024). "FIA approves fix for Ford Mustang GT3". fordauthority.com. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
- ^ GT World Challenge Europe (September 4, 2024). "Proton Competition Ford Mustang GT3". www.gt-world-challenge-europe.com. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
- ^ MediaProton (August 25, 2024). "Proton Competition holt in Virginia die weltweit erste Pole für den neuen Ford Mustang GT3". proton-competition.com. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
- ^ MediaProton (June 16, 2024). "Podium in Le Mans für Proton Competition und den Ford Mustang GT3". proton-competition.com. Retrieved September 4, 2024.