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Ford Mustang GT3 Gears Up For Historic Run At 24 Hours Of Le Mans
LE MANS, France, June 13, 2024 – Sixty years after Ford introduced the Mustang, the seventh-generation Mustang is set to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans this month. Racing has always been integral to the Mustang's identity, with its competitive debut occurring during the 1964 Tour de France de Automobile, just five months after its launch.
Since then, Ford's global race car has participated in NASCAR, NHRA, IMSA, Australian Supercars, and Formula Drift. "The Ford Mustang has raced in circuits across the world for decades, and now is the time for us to race our iconic coupe at the most important race in the world," said Jim Farley, Ford Motor Company CEO. "Ford has a rich history at Le Mans dating back to the first race in 1923 and we are excited to return to the global stage in what promises to be one of the most exciting races of the modern era."
Although Mustang has previously raced at Le Mans – with one entry in 1967 and two more in 1997 – 2024 marks its first attempt with specific intent in the World Endurance Championship circuit. Longtime collaborators Multimatic Motorsports and M-Sport are involved in producing the Mustang, with Proton Competition managing the team.
Ford's history at Le Mans includes notable achievements such as the Ford GT40's four consecutive victories in the late 1960s. In 2016, a reborn Ford GT won in the LMGTE Pro category, fifty years after its initial triumph. The sold-out 92nd edition of Le Mans – the fourth race of the FIA World Endurance Championship season – will take place on June 15-16 at Circuit de la Sarthe in France.
Proton Competition will field three Mustang GT3 cars among nearly two dozen LMGT3 entrants. The team will maintain its regular-season FIA World Endurance Cup LMGT3 class driver line-up for its two Mustang GT3s: The No. 77 will be co-piloted by Ryan Hardwick, Ben Baker, and Zacharie Robichon. The No. 88 will see Giorgio Roda, Dennis Olsen, and Mikkel O. Pedersen share driving duties.
Announced last month, the No. 44 will be driven by Christopher Mies, John Hartshorne, and Ben Tuck. Off-track activities include the European debut of the Mustang GTD1 – a roadgoing version of the Mustang GT3 – which will be showcased at Maison de Mustang inside Manufacturer Village.
Maison de Mustang is a fan zone featuring driver autograph sessions, merchandise, and a racing simulator competition offering a chance to win Mustang prizes. Up to 1,000 fans can participate in a Paul Swift Precision Driving experience as passengers in nearby Arnage and can book this upon arrival at the track.
"While Mustang GT3 is the pinnacle of our sports car racing around the world, it is only one part of a far broader strategy around Mustang racing that includes our recent Mustang Challenge Series as well as GT4 and much more besides," said Mark Rushbrook, Global Director, Ford Performance Motorsports. "We race to win and also to build our Ford Performance community, and our hope is that fans at Le Mans get as much excitement from the off-track experiences as they get from attending the race itself."
The official fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions for these vehicles will be published closer to their on-sale date following Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP) standards.
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