Ford will likely be represented within the DTM for the primary time in greater than three a long time, and the American brand will enter right into a recent partnership with long-time Mercedes customer HRT for 2025.
The team, led by businessman and gentleman driver Hubert Haupt, will field a pair of Ford Mustang GT3s in next yr's DTM races under the Ford Performance HRT banner.
This will likely be a part of a wider partnership between Ford and HRT, which can see the German team compete within the GT3 version of the favored muscle automotive in other European championships, including the NLS, GT Masters and GT World Challenge Europe.
The cooperation with HRT is the following stage in the event of the Mustang GT3 program after Ford introduced a limited-capacity automotive in early 2024.
Together with Multimatic, the corporate that co-developed the Mustang GT3, Ford entered the automotive as a factory entry on this yr's GTD Pro class of the IMSA SportsCar Championship, while Proton secured additional customer entries within the pro-am GTD class and its LMGT3 counterpart within the World Endurance Championship.
Proton also entered the GTWCE Endurance Cup with a pro-only entry after Dinamic Motorsport's plans to change from Porsche fell through.
“Having a team like HRT join the global Ford Performance family is an important moment for us,” said Mark Rushbrook, global director, Ford Performance Motorsports.
“The Haupt Racing team's proven success in DTM and other racing series is a powerful endorsement of the Mustang GT3, and we’re excited to see them on the legendary ADAC RAVENOL Nurburgring 24 Hours, in addition to many other iconic European tracks.
Haupt Racing's Ford Mustang GT3
Photo: Ford Performance
“It also signifies that, along with our partners at Multimatic and Proton Competition, the Ford Mustang GT3 will now compete in most of the long-lasting 24-hour races at circuits comparable to Le Mans, Daytona and Spa.
“This partnership strengthens our global position in GT3 racing and opens us up to new series and audiences around the world as we continue to expand the Mustang racing program in 2025.”
HRT has been a serious Mercedes customer since its inception in 2020, but its contract with the German manufacturer was as a result of expire at the top of the yr.
In his five years racing the Mercedes-AMG GT3 HRT, he won the DTM title at his first attempt with Maximilian Gotz when the championship switched to GT3 rules for 2021, and in addition won the Silver Cup title within the sprint leg of the GTWCE with Jordan Love in 2023 .
HRT Managing Director Ulrich Fritz said: “HRT has been continuously developing and improving over the previous few years.
“We have acquired a high level of experience within the use and development of racing cars. That's why we're very enthusiastic about this recent project.
“The indisputable fact that Ford has chosen HRT as its leader in Europe is an ideal honor. Ford is a brand with real power, with an ideal motorsport tradition and great motivation.
“The Ford Mustang GT3 is a next-generation racing automotive that we’ll actually have the ability to take to a brand new level together.
“We will be well prepared for the upcoming season and look forward to working with Ford.”
Ludwig, pictured during Tourist Trophy motion in 1988, won that yr's DTM title in a Sierra RS 500
Photo: LAT Photographic
Ford has a protracted history of competing in the unique DTM. The previous version of the Mustang GT enjoyed cult popularity within the series, and Gerd Ruch last raced this automotive in 1994.
Moreover, 24 Hours of Le Mans legend Klaus Ludwig won his first DTM title on the wheel of a Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth in 1988, which was Ford's only championship success within the series up to now.
Ludwig won two more championship titles for Mercedes in 1992 and 1994.
Haupt Racing's Ford Mustang GT3
Photo: Ford Performance
