Ford to Bring Mustang Back to Le Mans Under Company Rebranding
U.S. News & World Report LE MANS, France (AP) Ford has planned a return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans with its iconic Mustang muscle car next year under a massive rebranding of Ford Performance aimed at bringing the automotive manufacturer into the racing business.
The Friday unveil of the new Mustang Dark Horse-based race car follows Ford's announcement in February that it will return to Formula One in 2026 in partnership with reigning world champion Red Bull.
The Mustang will enter the GT3 category next year with at least two cars in both IMSA and the World Endurance Championship, and is hopeful to earn an invitation to next year's 24 Hours of Le Mans. The IMSA entries will be a factory Ford Performance program run by Multimatic, and a customer program in WEC with Proton Competition.
Ford CEO Jim Farley told The Associated Press the Mustang will be available to compete in various GT3 series across the globe to customer teams. But more important, Farley said, is the overall rebranding of Ford Performance done by renowned motorsports designer Troy Lee that is aimed at making Ford a lifestyle brand with a sporting mindset.
