Nürburg, Germany — More than 130 competitors and 280,000 attendees gathered for one of GT racing’s most daunting 24-hour endurance races, the 53rd edition of the ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring. The No. 65 HRT Ford Performance Mustang GT3 overcame the challenges of the “Green Hell” to score an SP 9 Pro-Am class victory.
“This is a testament to having great people and partners who share the same determination to win,” said Ford Performance global director Mark Rushbrook. “Nürburgring is a battle and to come out on top in our class is a significant accomplishment for everyone involved in this Mustang program. We’re proud of the team’s relentlessness and look forward to going to Spa next week for our third 24-hour race in three weeks.”
The No. 65 HRT Ford Performance Ford Mustang GT3, driven by the German racing talents of David Schumacher, Dennis Fetzer, Salman Owega and Jusuf Owega, advanced to the Top Qualifying round and to a 25th position start in the overall grid. The team battled the unforgiving nature of the 15.770 miles (25.378 km) Nürburgring Nordschleife – also known as the “Green Hell” – through the night, giving Mustang consistent representation in the top five. The No. 65 finished the race fourth overall and as the only Pro-Am competitor in an all-Pro top 10.
“This weekend was bittersweet because we lost two overnight, but winning the Pro-Am class and placing fourth overall is really more than we expected,” said Ulrich Fritz, Haupt Racing Team GmbH managing director. “It’s the first major Mustang GT3 win in Europe. It was a great team effort, and the drivers did not receive any penalties. We’re very happy. Thank you to everyone involved.”
The HRT Ford Performance 24h Nürburgring program included two additional Mustang GT3’s, both which demonstrated grit but fell victim to early retirements. The No. 63, driven by Germans Dirk Müller, Patrick Assenheimer, Vincent Kolb and Hubert Haupt, competed in the SP 9 Pro-Am class. The all-Pro No. 64, driven by Arjun Maini (IND), Dennis Olsen (NOR), Jusuf Owega (GER) and Frank Stippler (GER) completed the full line-up.
HRT Ford Performance, a first-year collaborative program with Haupt Racing Team, features 10 Mustang entries across Europe’s major GT racing series, which includes DTM and SRO-sanctioned GT World Challenge Europe. The team prepared for the 24-hour through its two-car effort in the ADAC Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie, where it posted a second-place Pro-Am performance in its second series appearance.
The month of June has featured three major 24-hour endurance races, which include Le Mans, Nürburgring and next week’s Spa-Francorchamps. The class victory at Nürburgring however extends the endurance racing success of Mustang GT3 beyond the three-week span, as the factory Ford Multimatic Motorsports team won the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTD PRO class in the Rolex 24 at Daytona earlier this year. So far, Mustang GT3 has captured two victories in its last three 24-hour endurance races.
“A Pro-Am class win for the Mustang GT3 at its first 24h Nürburgring is a huge accomplishment,” said Alex Allmandinger, Ford Performance global sports car manager. “It is a very challenging race, but the No. 65 was able to stay in the fight and keep competing.”
Driver Quotes:
Jusuf Owega, No. 65 HRT Ford Performance Ford Mustang GT3 – “Making it through the 24-hour is an accomplishment in itself. To also get an overall fourth place result with our Mustang GT3 is a performance that we can all be proud of.”
David Schumacher, No. 65 HRT Ford Performance Ford Mustang GT3 – “We had a good race, and we fought to the finish in our HRT Ford Performance Mustang GT3. The pace was great all week long. I’m happy we survived all of it, especially through the night where our pace created the gaps we needed. This is the first major win for Mustang GT3 in Europe, so we’re very proud of it.”
Salman Owega, No. 65 HRT Ford Performance Ford Mustang GT3 – “We battled through the start of the week, and today’s result is a pleasant surprise. It’s just the beginning with Ford and Mustang GT3. We can be quite happy with this result.”
Dennis Fetzer, No. 65 HRT Ford Performance Ford Mustang GT3 – “The beginning of the weekend was tough, but we worked to improve to the start of the race. We are very happy to have finished the race, as we fought hard in the final hours with our Mustang GT3. It’s a great start to this HRT Ford Performance project.”
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About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan, committed to helping build a better world, where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams. The company’s Ford+ plan for growth and value creation combines existing strengths, new capabilities and always-on relationships with customers to enrich experiences for customers and deepen their loyalty. Ford develops and delivers innovative, must-have Ford trucks, sport utility vehicles, commercial vans and cars and Lincoln luxury vehicles, along with connected services. The company does that through three customer-centered business segments: Ford Blue, engineering iconic gas-powered and hybrid vehicles; Ford Model e, inventing breakthrough EVs along with embedded software that defines exceptional digital experiences for all customers; and Ford Pro, helping commercial customers transform and expand their businesses with vehicles and services tailored to their needs. Additionally, Ford is pursuing mobility solutions through Ford Next, and provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. Ford employs about 177,000 people worldwide. More information about the company and its products and services is available at corporate.ford.com.
About Ford Performance
Ford Performance is based in Dearborn, Mich. It is responsible for Ford’s performance vehicle development and major racing operations globally, including NASCAR, IMSA, SRO British GT, FIA World Rally Championship, Supercars Championship, World of Outlaws, Ultra4, SCORE-International, FIA Rally-Raid, Formula Drift, NHRA, Rebelle Rally, Thailand Super Series and our latest commitment in Formula 1 with Red Bull Ford Powertrains. Ford Performance also maintains a constantly evolving fleet of electric performance demonstrators to showcase the limits of electrification technology. In addition, the organization also oversees the development of Ford's racing engines, as well as the outreach programs with all Ford Clubs and Ford enthusiasts. For more information regarding Ford racing's activities, please visit Performance.Ford.com or follow @FordPerformance on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Twitter, TikTok and YouTube.
Contact:
Jay Ward
Director, Global Ford Performance Motorsport Communications
(+44) (0)7500 224191
Jward35@ford.com
