As revealed by Speedcafe, Ford is set to make its Bathurst 12 Hour debut courtesy of German squad Haupt Racing Team.
The Blue Oval’s primary European GT partner will run under the HRT Ford Racing banner for its 12 Hour tilt, with some minor support to come from new Supercars homologation partner Triple Eight.
The news was confirmed via Ford Racing’s global sports car manager Alex Allmandinger in a blog post on behalf of the manufacturer.
“Ford Racing will continue to expand in 2026 as we take America’s race team – and the Ford Mustang – to new and prestigious events around the world,” he wrote.
“An event I am especially proud to see the Mustang GT3 compete in for the first time is the Bathurst 12 Hour, February 13-15, 2026. Being able to take the Mustang GT3 to Mount Panorama is a milestone moment for Mustang and Ford Racing.
“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.
“We are launching our Bathurst 12 Hour program with Haupt Racing Team (HRT), under the HRT Ford Racing banner.
“HRT helped lead the European Mustang GT3 charge in 2025, as our largest factory-supported customer program globally – with key overall and class victories at the Nürburgring, as well as securing the first championship awarded to the Mustang GT3 in last season’s ADAC GT Masters.
“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.”
Allmandinger added that the 12 Hour program is a close fit with both the one-make Mustang Cup, which will debut next season, and the existing GT4 Australia presence.
“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,” he wrote.
“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.”
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