Latest news with #MustangGT3
Belfast Telegraph
02-06-2025
- Automotive
- Belfast Telegraph
Dan Harper admits his disappointment as drive-through penalty dents Detroit Grand Prix challenge
The reprimand in the closing stages of the series' Fourth Round – the Detroit Grand Prix – meant Harper and his Paul Miller Racing team-mate Max Hesse crossed the line seventh. It was meted out by stewards after Hesse was deemed to have made contact with one of the Fords as he attempted to find a way past, with the penalty costing them valuable time. Despite struggling to get their BMW M4 GT3 in the right operating window on the low-grip, street-based circuit, they still managed to bag a second-row start for the 100-minute race. That laid the foundations for a potential high points haul and even a silverware challenge – and Harper started in positive fashion as he moved ahead of the sister Paul Miller Racing car when the lights went out. He maintained the position throughout his stint before he handed the reins to Hesse, who kept up his push for a spot in the winners' enclosure. However, the coming-together with the Ford saw both drivers' good work come to nought and leave them provisionally sixth in the standings on 1128 points after four rounds – 170 in arrears of AO Racing Porche duo Klaus Bachler and Laurin Heinrich who lead the table. 'It was a disappointing race to end a tricky few days in Detroit,' reflected the Hillsborough man. 'We struggled through free practice on Friday as we tried to get the car in the right window on the low-grip circuit and could not quite match the pace of our GTD Pro rivals. 'Qualifying in fourth was better than we expected, we were happy with that, and the race started well, getting into the top three, but unfortunately, it slowly unravelled from there. 'Quicker cars were able to jump ahead on pit stop strategy, and then a small mistake from Max led to contact and a penalty. We salvaged some points with seventh, though, and we will push for more next time out,' added Harper, who is next in action across the Atlantic later in June at the 3.4-mile Watkins Glen International circuit in the state of New York. In their own backyard, Ford was handed a popular GTD Pro triumph thanks to the No.46 crew of Seb Priaulx and Mike Rockenfeller. They steered their Multimatic Motorsports-run Mustang GT3 to a 1.623-second win from the No.3 Corvette Racing and Pratt Miller Motorsports Corvette Z06 GT3.R co-driven by Antonio Garcia and Alexander Sims. Pfaff Motorsports' Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 was the last of the podium finishers.
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Dollahite Racing to field Mustang GT3 in GT World Challenge America
Dollahite Racing has announce it will enter a newly developed Ford Mustang GT3s in the SRO GT World Challenge America powered by AWS for 2025 for driver Scott Dollahite, with a second driver to be named at a later date. 'We believe that the Mustang is the best platform on the grid while we also recognize there is a lot of work ahead to dial in the full potential of the car,' team president Bill Dollahite said. 'We have very talented and committed people in our organization dedicated to this and our direct collaboration with Ford and Multimatic as well as their global customers will help us get an understanding of the car much quicker.' The Mustang GT3, which made its debut at Le Mans in 2024, is powered by a 5.4-liter naturally aspirated Ford Coyote V8 engine strikingly similar to the commercially available Mustang Dark Horse model. In the Rolex 24 At Daytona, two of the new Mustang GT3s took a win and third-place finish in the GTD PRO class, having qualified first and second. 'In all my years of racing, I've never experienced the level of commitment and support that both Ford and Multimatic are putting toward this program,' said Dollahite, who will also serve as team manager. 'We are equally committed to making our collaboration with them one of the best in the 2025 GT World Challenge America championship.' Team engineer, Michael Skinner said, 'What Ford and Multimatic have created in the Mustang GT3 is an engineer's dream. Having their level of support and collaboration between their global customers will certainly elevate everyone's success.' The SRO GT World Challenge America powered by AWS season gets underway March 28-30 at Sonoma Raceway. Story originally appeared on Racer
Yahoo
26-01-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Daytona drew AWA Corvette's lucky No. 13
While everyone at Pratt Miller — and Trackhouse by TF Sport, for that matter — will exit the paddock Sunday frustrated after Ford's Mustang prevailed in GTD PRO, AWA's achievement in the 22-car strong GTD class is still reason for the General Motors concern to celebrate. Mirroring the Mustang GT3, the Corvette Z06 GT3.R has a 24-hour win under its belt now, too, after enduring a tough debut marred by mechanical woes at last year's Daytona event. The difference is this achievement came via the efforts of a private team. For Corvette Racing's young customer program, the win could prove to be vital for the car's future in GT3 racing globally. Ahead of the race, everyone at AWA was confident not only in the capabilities of their car but also in their level of preparation. The team looked entirely at ease with the car and the event this year, snatching the win in a huge 22-car field stacked with high-quality teams from nine manufacturers. British pro driver Matt Bell was in at the end of the race and, frankly, put in the most impressive performance of his racing career, fending off attacks from multiple cars including Heart of Racing's Aston Martin driven by the hard-charging Mattia Drudi. 'Honestly, I can't remember a thing,' he said when asked to recall his winning move. 'There were PRO cars, there were GTD cars… I don't remember that. I'll have to watch the video later. Every time there was a car in front of me, I was trying to overtake it. I asked the guys to stop giving me updates on the radio. Fidani, Bell, Kern and Kirchhofer were harried at Daytona, but their victory may be a sign of what's to come later this year. Jake Galstad/Lumen 'I just saw a GT car and wanted to pass it; that's all I was focused on. I can't thank my teammates and everyone enough. That's one beat-up Chevrolet Corvette, but they make them tough in Detroit. 'This means absolutely everything,' Bell, continued. 'To me, to my teammates Orey (Fidani) and Lars (Kern) and Marvin. Everybody on this team has worked so hard. To think where we were this time last year and how far we've come now… it's so much hard work to do this. 'From the minute the checkered flag fell at Petit Le Mans, no one took a rest. No one took a break. It's been 24/7 since then to get a car that is capable of winning the Daytona 24 Hours. 'AWA gave the four of us a car to do it. 'IMSA is the hardest championship in the world. Our competitors gave us a hell of a run. I had to work so hard to get on top of those guys but we managed to make it work and bring it home in the last 10 minutes. 'This all feels like a dream — a dream that we hope won't end.' The result is massive for the championship, the brand, the car and the team's future. Now, as a result of its performance this weekend, AWA finds itself in with a chance to achieve something truly special in June. 'This is a huge boost for the team and myself heading to the 24 Hours Le Mans for our debut,' 2024 IMSA Bob Akin Award winner Orey Fidani said. 'If we can win this one, I think Le Mans also is a possibility as well. We'll take that energy from here and roll it forward into that.' That's for tomorrow, though. Right now, it's time for the team to pop the champagne corks stateside. Story originally appeared on Racer
Yahoo
26-01-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
A year of progress pays off for Ford's GT3 program at Daytona
Ford Performance can take a bow after capturing the Mustang GT3's first win globally in style on the Daytona high banks Sunday afternoon. The No. 65 was steered masterfully by factory ace Dennis Olsen at the end of the race when an all-out brawl broke out between the front running pack in GTD PRO. Seven cars finished on the lead lap in class, with heavy-hitters from Corvette, BMW, Mercedes and Ferrari also in the mix. But it was Ford that prevailed after the frantic run to the flag, with Olsen installed in the lead car and Seb Priaulx entrusted to drive the sister No. 64, which made it a double podium with a third-place finish. 'I was watching the mirror every single corner, watching for the Chevy coming up the inside,' Olsen said. 'I made sure to cover the gaps and hoped that the diffuser and the bumper wouldn't go off and get a technical flag, but luckily didn't. 'I think it was a faultless race by all the team, by all the drivers really.' The turnaround for Ford's flagship GT racer has been remarkable. A year on from the car's rough debut in the 2024 edition of the Rolex 24, it looks like an entirely different prospect following Ford and Multimatic's move to fix the car's weaknesses and focus on extracting performance from its 5.4 liter V8. 'It's simply amazing,' Mies said when asked to describe the car's development over the past 12 months. 'We came here exactly a year ago, leading the race back then, which was fantastic for a new car. But like everyone, we had some issues. 'The most obvious change is that the rear deck lid isn't coming off anymore. We figured out quite quickly where the problem came from — obviously from side drafting. But to be honest, in development or testing, when do you ever side draft, right? It never happens. 'We had to learn the hard way in the first race, which is one of the toughest races in the world. So yeah, we had no preparation really to test that. 'But there have been things in the background and also on the team side, too. I must say this is probably the biggest improvement compared to last year. It just feels like we made another good step in terms of preparation. 'There's still things we need to improve for the future and people are working on that, but time will tell.' As the time ticked away, the GTD PRO fight heated up beyond boiling, allowing the sister No. 64 up into third. Ford's hard work paying off with a double-podium was surely cause for celebration. Brandon Badraoui/Lumen Battles in GTD PRO raged in the second half of the race. Corvette Racing vs. Paul Miller Racing stood out and will live long in memory after Augusto Farfus, Connor Di Phillippi and Tommy Milner came together while battling for the lead. It was a fight in which Paul Miller utilized its delayed No. 48 BMW M4 GT3 EVO to block the No. 4 Corvette and allow the No. 1 to fight for the top spot. There was contact; there was damage and a post-stint war of words. Milner described it as 'dirty' and 'disappointing' before Farfus defended his actions, claiming he had 'nothing to do with it' (the contact between the No. 4 and No. 1 at the International Horseshoe) explaining that his intention was simply to 'support' the sister car. It didn't end there. The fight resumed in the run to the flag, with the No. 4 Corvette of Nicolas Varrone turning the No. 1 into a spin while dicing for podium spots, which he was later penalized for. Ford got the benefit in two ways. First, the squabbling allowed Olsen to pull a gap with time expiring and second, it helped make sure that Ford beat its rivals from General Motors. 'I think from my side it was my target to make it difficult for them and make them fight,' Olsen added when asked to describe his run at the final restart. 'That was my only chance. They were quicker. Honestly, I had to defend my position and stay inside — that's the only thing. Once they start to fight, I could try to run away, and that's what we did.' Frederic Vervisch, the third driver in the No. 65, joked that the team was under instruction from Ford's CEO Jim Farley this weekend. 'He said, 'Whatever you do, you have to be in front of Chevrolet,'' Vervisch said. 'Corvette are extremely strong, and I think they hid their A-game because suddenly they were going a lot faster than yesterday. 'I am super proud that we could stay ahead and maybe out-strategy them.' Story originally appeared on Racer
Yahoo
26-01-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ford reigns in GTD PRO, AWA Corvette wins GTD at Daytona
Two years ago, Ford announced the birth of the Mustang GT3 customer racing program. Last year, the car made its debut to lackluster results, grabbing more headlines for shedding its bodywork than for running at the front of the field at any point. What a difference a year makes — the 63rd Rolex 24 At Daytona was the stage for the Blue Oval's fresh start. Ford Multimatic Motorsports' new-look trio of Christopher Mies, Frederic Vervisch, and Dennis Olsen finally gave the Mustang GT3 its first win — anywhere in the world — after a fruitless first season across IMSA, FIA WEC, and GT World Challenge America. Ford's veteran stalwart Mike Rockenfeller expressed concerns that his pole lap in qualifying wouldn't translate to real results come race time, yet at the end of a rough and tumble race, the factory-backed Mustangs were on the podium. Olsen and Mies kept their heads cool near the end, as Olsen overtook the No. 4 Corvette of Nico Varrone on the race's final restart and withstood pressure from the likes of Laurin Heinrich and Alexander Sims to secure that precious first win for Ford. 'It's simply amazing,' Mies said of Ford's dramatic turnaround. 'When I saw the car for the first time online, I immediately got into contact with Ford and with Multimatic. I said, 'I want to be part of it.' I wanted the change, let's say, after a long stint with another brand (Audi). 'We came here exactly a year ago, leading the race back then, which was fantastic for a new car. But like everyone, we had some little issues. We solved them over the year. Coming back one year later together with Ford Performance and Multimatic Motorsports is incredible.' The No. 64 Ford of Rockenfeller, Sebastian Priaulx, and super-sub Austin Cindric sandwiched the No. 3 Corvette of Antonio Garcia, Alexander Sims, and Daniel Juncadella which finished a highly-spirited second. And that should bring us to the biggest flashpoint of the race: Paul Miller's two cars, versus the No. 4 Corvette. Tommy Milner and the No. 4 crew lost out on a real chance at the win after an ill-mannered exchange between the No. 48 car — which was no longer in contention after Max Hesse was swept up in the 'big one' late Saturday night — became a pain in a battle for the lead between Milner and the No. 1 BMW of Connor De Phillippi. Augusto Farfus was the direct target of Milner's ire. To borrow a famous Murray Walker quote, the Corvette ace told his BMW counterpart he was going for first place — and he was — but the BMW would be an impediment to Milner and it escalated into Milner and De Phillippi colliding at the exit of the International Horseshoe. 'The situation with the Corvette and our sister car was very difficult. My intention was to support my teammate in the sister car in the fight for victory. I was aware that it was hard racing. The situation that led to the collision between the Corvette and Connor De Phillippi behind me was very unfortunate, but I had nothing to do with it directly. I stayed on my inside line,' Farfus said. In the last 15 minutes, with Kelvin van der Linde now fighting for a podium, Nico Varrone in the No. 4 Corvette ran into the No. 1 BMW and sent the South African spinning out, eventually consolidating fourth place for the new M4 GT3 EVO in its American debut. A partnership between Bartone Bros. Racing, RealTime Racing, and Germany's GetSpeed produced a solid first IMSA result — fifth for the black No. 69 Mercedes-AMG GT3. The quasi-defending champions at DragonSpeed would finish sixth with the No. 81 Ferrari 296 GT3. Rexy made a stirring comeback and fought for the lead up until the final hour, but the No. 77 AO Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R suffered front-end damage in all the skirmishes, had to make an unscheduled stop, and sunk to eighth behind the No. 4 Corvette. Trackhouse and TF Sport's all-star effort finished ninth, but, up until the cool Connor Zilisch was spun after contact with an LMP2 car with an hour left, it looked for a moment like the No. 91 WeatherTech Corvette would reach the podium. For the No. 9 Pfaff Motorsports Lamborghini it was a race of unfulfilled potential, ending in the second part of that big Saturday night crash when Jordan Pepper ran into Hesse. The new partnership showed strength and resilience up to that point. Corvette's early customer program had issues, AWA in particular. A year later, they're another story of overcoming teething trouble and coming out triumphant at Daytona. Jake Galstad/Lumen Corvette may not have gotten the GTD PRO win with the works cars, but Canadian team AWA delivered in a big way as Matt Bell and Marvin Kirchhofer carried the black and yellow No. 13 Z06 GT3.R to its first GTD win, joined by Orey Fidani — the reigning Bob Akin Award winner — and Lars Kern. Bell had to fight back after being jostled in the final restart — he was down to fourth at one stage but he eventually caught and passed Heart of Racing's Mattia Drudi with about 16 minutes left to give AWA its second Daytona class win in three years (2023, LMP3). 'The restarts were intense as we always are in IMSA WeatherTech racing. Honestly, my brain is fried,' said a jubilant Bell after the race. 'I can't even remember what happened. It was awesome racing, I have to say. All the competitors that we were going toe to toe with today were really hard, really fair. 'I can't remember where [Drudi] overtook me. He got us in the pits. I just had to get my head down. If I saw a GTD car ahead of me I just tried to overtake it. I remember vaguely getting a little bit of a nose up the side coming out of Turn 5. 'We were good in the infield; we were strong in the infield. Just managed to squeeze on past and get my head down after that and try to build a gap. It was definitely fun.' The No. 120 Wright Motorsports Porsche may not have been connected to the new F1 motion picture like last year, but the quartet of Elliott Skeer, Ayhancan Guven, Tom Sargent, and Adam Adelson were box-office for most of the race, culminating in Guven sprinting from fifth to second by the end. Heart of Racing's No. 27 Aston Martin Vantage GT3 completed the GTD podium in third, followed very closely by Winward Racing's No. 57 Mercedes-AMG GT3 in fourth When you consider what Winward Racing had to overcome — losing seven laps in the garage to fix a stuck throttle pedal — to get back to the lead lap and then the class lead, only to have to dig out of a hole from a pit work penalty? That is the sort of performance that made this Texas team the GTD Champions in 2024. Turner Motorsport snuck into fifth place with the No. 96 BMW M4 GT3 EVO towards the end, putting five different makes in the top five in GTD. Disappointments happened, of course. Quick Lamborghinis from Wayne Taylor Racing and Forte Racing were knocked out due to damage. Only one of the seven Ferrari 296 GT3s ran a clean race with no major hiccups, and, of course, a catastrophic engine failure wasn't how anyone wanted Andy Lally to bow out of professional sports car racing as a driver. AWA's win was a great story in itself, given how wretched the start of their customer Corvette Racing program was last year. Early season retirements, Anthony Mantella's infamous sale of his Corvette just two races into the year … it wasn't ideal to say the least — and yet, look where they are now. If there were any whispers that Ford and GM's first customer racing efforts at this level were doomed to failure after a tough start in year one, Daytona proved them wrong this weekend. RESULTS Story originally appeared on Racer
