Ford Racing is not wasting time after introducing its new race car, the Mustang GT3. The auto manufacturer is taking on a prestigious event in Australia.
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According to an announcement from Ford Racing, the Mustang GT3 will head to Mount Panorama Circuit in Australia for the Bathurst 12 Hours endurance race on Feb. 13-15, 2026. Ford Racing will partner with Haupt Racing Team (HRT) for this endeavor while racing under the HRT Ford Racing banner.
The iconic Mount Panorama Circuit is not foreign territory for Ford Racing. The racing division of the Blue Oval celebrated a Bathurst 1000 win this season with Penrite Racing drivers Matthew Payne and Garth Tander. Ford Racing and driver Romain Dumas also set three lap records with the all-electric Ford SuperVan 4.2.
What is new, however, is the participation in the Bathurst 12 Hours. This is a new challenge for Ford Racing, one that it will embrace while competing directly against Chevrolet and the Corvette GT3 Z06.R entries fielded by Johor Motor Racing (JMR).
Fine-tuning the aerodynamics on the next iteration of our Mustang GT3 💨
The Evolution of Mustang GT3 hits the track in 2026. pic.twitter.com/gu5kNjCdL8
— Ford Racing (@FordRacing) December 3, 2025
"We are in an incredible period of growth, and we've been very clear with our intentions," wrote Alex Allmandinger, Ford Racing Global Sports Car Manager.
"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 Mustang GT3 is not a new name for Ford Racing, but the model has continued to evolve. The newest iteration only came to light on Dec. 17 as Ford Racing prepared for the upcoming competitive launch at the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway.
Ford Racing noted that it has worked on this latest evolution of the Mustang GT3 since 2023 while logging "countless hours" in wind tunnels and during track days. This race car has seen such venues as Watkins Glen International, Portimão Circuit, and WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
Ford Racing highlighted three areas of improvement as it continued to build the newest version of the Mustang GT3 — aerodynamics, braking, and kinematics.
The aero system, in particular, underwent numerous updates as Ford Racing aimed to improve the downforce and make the car less sensitive to changes in ride height. Achieving this goal would make the car perform better at all manner of race tracks around the world.
