Ford returns to Le Mans with striking new Mustang GT3
Ford has once again partnered with Multimatic and M-Sport to create a contender for the GT3 crown at the iconic 24 hours of Le Mans. Building on years of knowledge, the Mustang-based race car will be the first of its kind.
It's that time of the year again when crowds and manufacturers decent on the French town of Le Mans for the oldest and most gruelling endurance race of the year; the 24 hours of Le Mans. Long regarded as one of the pinnacles of motorsports, the race has been run since 1923 and it celebrates its 100th anniversary with this year's instalment.
Related: Fifty years ago, Ford scored its greatest Le Mans victory
Rather than timing the vehicles to see who crosses the finish line in the least amount of time, the 24 hours of Le Mans demands that competitors complete the most amount of laps in a specified amount of time. This is the backbone of the FIA World Endurance Championship. It forces entrants to find the balance between speed and durability, remaining on track for the longest amount of time while maintaining a quick enough pace.
Ford and the Le Mans
While the race itself has been immortalised in the eponymous 1971 film starring Steve McQueen, the iconic battle between Ford and Ferrari for Le Mans victory was committed to celluloid in the 2019 film Ford v Ferrari starring Christian Bale and Matt Damon. It told the tale of Ken Miles and Carrol Shelby who set out to dethrone the Ferrari onslaught in the 1966 Le Mans endurance race.
This would be a pivotal point in history for Ford Motorsport and their 1966 podium lockout (securing the first three places in the race) was largely regarded as the start of their domination. They would go on to win the 24 hours of Le Mans for the next three years until Porsche won again in 1970.
Ford's last victory at the famous race came in the GT3 category in 2016 with a GT40 but they're set to make a return in 2024 with their latest GT3 offering, the Ford Mustang GT3.
Based on the all-new 2024 Mustang Dark Horse, the GT3 race car partners with long-time racing partners Multimatic and M-Sport, the former being builders of the iconic Ford GT. M-Sport is perhaps better known for their racing exploits forth Ford in the World Rally Championship - another arena where Ford has enjoyed much success in the past. M-Sport will be responsible for assembling the 5.4-litre Coyote-based V8 engine that will power the Mustang GT3 race car.
The Mustang GT3 race car is splashed in Ford Performance's latest look, a clean and modern interpretation of the racing livery, brought to life by renowned design studio Troy Lee Designs, best known for their work on helmets in both off-road, motocross and road bikes.
The race car employs a dedicated short-long arm suspension and a rear-mounted transaxle gearbox while being clad in carbon fibre body panels and aero that is designed to maximise its potential in the GT3 class.
The Mustang GT3 was revealed at the 2023 Le Mand centenary celebrations and while it will not compete in this year's event, you can expect to see it in future GT3 events leading up to the 2024 running of the iconic race.
