Ford Mustang GT3 Earns Milestone First Global Victory at Daytona
Ford Performance and partner Multimatic Motorsports share first Mustang GT3 victory in Rolex 24 At Daytona.
The No. 65 of Olsen, Mies and Vervisch battled to the top of the GTD Pro rankings to win its class in the 63rd running of classic endurance race.
No. 64 fights its way to a podium spot alongside Mustang GT3 teammates.
Ford captures its first 24 Hours of Daytona win since 2018, 20th since 1966.
Ford Mustang GT3 triumphed in one of the most rigorous 24-hour endurance racing events in motorsports, the Rolex 24 at Daytona, to score its first global GT3 victory. The No. 65 Ford Multimatic Motorsports Mustang GT3 of Dennis Olsen, Christopher Mies and Frédéric Vervisch earned the landmark victory after holding off a late race challenge in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTD Pro class. Adding to the Dearborn, Michigan company’s accolades, the No. 64 Ford Mustang GT3 also secured third place for the official factory team with drivers Seb Priaulx, Mike Rockenfeller and Austin Cndric at the road course of Daytona International Speedway.
“This is a team win for everyone at Ford Motor Company, for our partners and for fans of Mustang,” said Mark Rushbrook, global director, Ford Performance. “Moments like this make the long hours, hard work and earlier disappointments worthwhile. Our first global win with the Mustang GT3 and our 20th for Ford in the 24 Hours of Daytona is a milestone. I am proud of this whole effort. Everyone gave their all.”
Ford has a rich history in the 24 Hours of Daytona. Mustang won its first 24-hour race here in 1967 and now has 10 total wins. Ford Motor Company has been victorious in Daytona’s 24-hour race 20 times since its inaugural win in 1966 with the MKII. The last event win came in 2018, when Ford GT earned a GTLM class victory.
The Mustang GT3 was quick to the top of the class charts, securing the front row of the grid for the event’s 63rd edition in qualifying. Rockenfeller, who returned to the team’s driving core for a second season, drove the No. 64 Ford Multimatic Motorsports Mustang GT3 to its second-ever pole position worldwide. Vervisch, who was promoted to a full-season seat from last year’s endurance racing role, qualified narrowly behind the sister car in the No. 65 Ford Multimatic Motorsports Mustang GT3.
“This is an incredible result for everyone at Multimatic Motorsports and Ford Performance,” said. Pascal Zurlinden, Executive Vice President, Multimatic Engineering & MSVO. “Two years ago, when Ford announced the Mustang GT3 programme, the car didn’t exist. To be standing in Victory Lane today is proof that there is no substitute for hard work, whether that is at the race track, the race shop or during long days and nights in the simulator. It is an honour for us to take a car as iconic as Mustang and turn it into a Daytona winner. May we, and Ford’s customers, have many more victories ahead of us.”
(photo credit: Ford)
