Mustang GT3 coming to Bathurst with Haupt Racing Team
6h
FORD will enter the Meguiar’s Bathurst 12 Hour in 2026.
Ford Racing has confirmed the entry of a Ford Mustang GT3 to Australia’s International Endurance Race for the first time under the HRT Ford Racing banner.
HRT – Haupt Racing Team - led the brand’s European GT3 program in 2025 with key overall and class victories at the Nürburgring and the Mustang’s first GT3 Championship, achieved in the ADAC GT Masters.
The announcement brings the Mustang GT3 to the Mountain for the first time, as well as securing Ford’s first shot at outright victory in the around-the-clock enduro.
“Being able to take the Mustang GT3 to Mount Panorama is a milestone moment for Mustang and Ford Racing,” said Alex Allmandinger, Ford Racing Global Sports Car Manager.
“It may seem obvious to say, but, like racing at Le Mans, Daytona, Nürburgring or Spa, competing on “The Mountain” gives an entirely new line of sight on our commitment to international motorsports in the 125th Year of racing at Ford.
“Racing in Australia is not new for Ford. We have been doing that for decades. In fact, racing at Bathurst is not new either. Just this past season, Matthew Payne and Garth Tander demonstrated true grit crowning the Mustang Supercar as the “king of the hill” in the Bathurst 1000 – in arguably one of the most exciting finishes of the year.
“We introduced the Ford SuperVan 4.2 to the mountain one year prior, and our EV demonstrator officially became the fastest closed-wheel vehicle around the circuit with Romain Dumas. But racing in the 12 Hour, that is a new and exciting challenge we are looking forward to taking on.
“Our Bathurst 12 Hour program serves as an exclamation point that the Mustang is “home” on Mount Panorama and in Australia. With the Mustang GT3 at the top, we are showcasing our motorsports ladder system at work in Australia. In addition to the Bathurst 12 Hour, we will be introducing the Dark Horse R and single-make Mustang Cup series with our partner Driving Solutions into Australia in March.
“With the GT3 above and the Dark Horse R below, our championship-winning Mustang GT4 provides a complete link for competitors hoping to stand on the podium at Bathurst one day. Australia is a critical component in how we take Ford Racing around the world. Mustang is woven into the fabric of global sports car racing – at every level.
“So, why return now?
“We are in an incredible period of growth, and we’ve been very clear with our intentions. From Dark Horse R, GT4 and Supercars, to GT3 and everything in-between, we are dedicated to winning motorsport’s biggest races with the Mustang and as America’s Race Team. It’s in our competitive DNA and that winning spirit is felt in every Mustang at the track or on the road.”
The initial Meguiar's Bathurst 12 Hour entry list, which will include the HRT Ford Racing Ford Mustang, will be announced at 2:00pm AEDT today (Friday, 19 December).
