· Ford Performance intends to launch the first international series expansion, Mustang Cup, to Australia in 2026
· Successful Le Mans Invitational confirms global taste for all-Mustang sprint competition
· Mustang Dark Horse R to be the feature vehicle for one-make racing series
· Driving Solutions chosen to manage Mustang Cup Australia
Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium. It is not an overstatement to say our success in launching the Le Mans Invitational turned a number of heads towards our Ford Performance Motorsports Pyramid and, specifically, the Mustang one-make series. It is with that in mind that we take the next step toward our future in announcing Mustang Cup Australia. Mustang Cup Australia will be the second of our entry level series utilizing the Ford Mustang Dark Horse R and the first Ford one-make series outside of the United States. We will launch the Aussie series with our partners, Driving Solutions, in 2026.
Mustang Cup will provide a racing series committed to developing the skills of both the novice driver looking to launch a motorsport career and more mature drivers finding or, in some cases rediscovering, their passion for sportscar racing in Australia. It is the place where the future of Aussie talent can begin their journey up the Ford Performance Motorsport Pyramid. Our intent is to give career minded racers a place to progress from Mustang Cup Australia onto Mustang GT4, Supercars, or Mustang GT3 on the continent or globally with the Mustang family platform.
The key to any successful race series is the operating structure. For Mustang Cup Australia, we will be racing on the Shannons SpeedSeries weekends under Motorsport Australia (MSA) sanction and through our regional licensing partner Driving Solutions. Driving Solutions and its director, James Stewart, bring more than 20 years of motorsport and automotive industry experience on the continent to our endeavor. Driving Solutions has a long-standing relationship with Ford Australia, having worked with them since 2005.
Following the lead of the North American-based Mustang Cup series, the Mustang Dark Horse R will be the bespoke race car of the championship. Each race weekend we will feature up to three 30-minute practice sessions, two separate 15-minute qualifying sessions, and two 40-minute races. Unique to the Mustang Cup Australia will be the ability to host different drivers in a single vehicle over the course of the weekend. This will allow sessions to be split between two drivers in the same Mustang Dark Horse R and ultimately give each driver an opportunity to strive for their own championship.
The Mustang Cup will fill an important role in Australian motorsport, closing the gap between entry-level cars and professional series such as Supercars or GT3 competition. The Mustang Dark Horse R is the latest in racing-based Ford race cars.
It is thrilling for us as Ford Performance to bring the series “Down Under”. Dating back to the Australian Touring Car Championship, Ford vehicles have been found on racing circuits around Australia, since the early 1960s. Today, the Mustang competes in various series across the continent and is a growing part of the racing culture. These include the Mustang GT4 in Monochrome GT4 Australia and the Mustang Supercar in the Repco Supercars Championship. Adding the Mustang Cup Australia will give a feeder system not only to us at Ford but also throughout most of the continent’s motorsport landscape.
We look forward to sharing more details in the coming months.
