An example of the Le Mans 24 Hour winning Ford GT will go up against a Ford Mustang GT4 and a Falcon Supercar in special demonstration at this weekend’s Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000.
Ford Performance has brought two of its latest on-track weapons to Mount Panorama headlined by a Chip Ganassi Racing prepared GT, which will be driven by Australian Ryan Briscoe, who regularly pilots the car in the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship.
The Blue Oval, which revealed a plan for the GT last month, has confirmed that it will now be joined on the famous 6.2km track by a Mustang GT4, driven by Shell V-Power Racing co-driver Tony D’Alberto, and the Milwaukee Racing Falcon FGX piloted by Alex Davison.
The manufacturer expects the GT to be the fastest Ford to lap the circuit.
Briscoe has been preparing for the outing by undertaking laps in Ford’s simulator in the US.
Details regarding the format of the event are yet to be revealed although Ford has described it as ‘a thrilling display of Ford’s global performance capability.’
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“We’re proud to bring Ford Performance to Supercars and proud of our heritage in the sport,” said Ford Australia and New Zealand President and CEO, Kay Hart.
“The teams that design, build, work on and race Ford products are some of our greatest assets when it comes to developing new technologies that ultimately improve the performance of our road-going vehicles.”
The appearance of a Mustang GT4 will be a first for the car in Australia.
It is powered a 5.2-litre Coyote V8, a direct derivative of the engine under the bonnet of the road-going Ford Mustang in Australian dealerships.
“Getting an opportunity to pilot this car around Mount Panorama is massively exciting,” said D’Alberto.
“We’re making the change to Mustang in Supercars for 2019, so to be getting a run in that iconic shape around Bathurst a year early is a privilege.
“Allan Moffat’s Trans-Am Mustang was a monster, and the GT4 is the modern version of that, so I can’t wait to feel and hear its thumping V8 bellowing up and down the Mountain.”
This year’s Great Race will be the last for the famous Falcon nameplate with the model, that has won Bathurst 14 times, due to be replaced by the Mustang in 2019.
“It’s a great opportunity for our last Bathurst with the FG X Falcon to put it up against some of the fastest Fords in the world,” said Davison.
“I feel really lucky – it’s an absolute privilege to be part of.”
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