FORD HASN'T BEEN IN DTM SINCE 1989 WITH THE COSWORTH RS500 - RETURNS IN 2025 WITH A PAIR OF MUSTANGS
It’s been a long time coming, but Ford is finally back in the DTM after a 36-year hiatus, and they’re not here to make up the numbers. Haupt Racing Team (HRT) has been given the keys to the Blue Oval’s return to Germany’s premier touring car series, fielding a pair of snarling Mustang GT3s for the 2025 season. With a history dating back to the late ‘80s when Ford last lined up in the DTM with the Sierra Cosworth RS500, this return is a statement - one that says the Mustang GT3 is ready to go toe-to-toe with some of the world’s best GT machinery. And they’ve got the driver lineup to match. Leading the charge in the #36 Mustang GT3 is Arjun Maini. No stranger to the DTM, the Indian racer has been part of HRT’s setup since 2022, bagging three podiums and a pole position last season. With 64 DTM races under his belt, he knows the grind of sprint racing and will be looking to push Ford’s new contender to the sharp end of the grid. His car will run in the striking blue-and-yellow livery of team partner RAVENOL.
"I am very excited about another year in the DTM with HRT and Ford Performance. We are really looking forward to the season. It's a new challenge for me and a new challenge for the team. But fortunately we've worked very well together over the past few seasons. So I am very happy to continue that relationship and hopefully we can have some strong races together and be successful." says Maini.
Joining him is Swiss racer Fabio Scherer in the #64 Mustang GT3. Scherer has some DTM experience, having competed in the final season of Class 1 regulations back in 2020. But more importantly, he’s a Le Mans class winner, proving he’s got the endurance and the speed. His Mustang will wear Ford’s Heritage livery, a nod to the last Mustang that raced in the DTM way back in 1994, complete with those iconic red racing stripes.
"I'm delighted to be back in the DTM after five years - and for Ford's return. It's incredible to be racing for the iconic Ford brand and HRT. Thank you very much for this great opportunity," comments Scherer.
While HRT is entering its fifth season in the DTM, this marks a brand-new chapter as the team takes on the challenge of developing the Mustang GT3 into a race-winning machine. With six victories and a 2021 drivers’ title already on their DTM résumé, they know what it takes to compete at the highest level. Now, with factory backing from Ford Performance, they’re aiming even higher. Ulrich Fritz, Managing Director of HRT, knows that bringing a brand-new GT3 car into such a fiercely competitive series won’t be an overnight success story: “We are obviously very proud that Ford Performance has entrusted us with their DTM comeback. We’ve proven before that we can win in this series, but with a new car, we’ll need patience. The focus is on developing the Mustang GT3 further, but with our fast drivers and experienced crew, I’m confident we can deliver strong results.” Ford Performance’s Global Director, Mark Rushbrook, echoed that sentiment, emphasizing that this return is about much more than just showing up: “Our return to DTM underscores our commitment to challenging Mustang GT3 against the top competition at the most demanding circuits around the world. HRT has been a tremendous partner, and we’re strengthening that relationship as we grow into DTM.”
The Mustang GT3s will make their official DTM debut at the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben during the season opener on April 25-27. But before that, the team will get their first taste of official testing on April 2 at the same circuit. From there, it’s a full-throttle campaign across Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands, with the season finale set for October 4-5 at Hockenheimring. The Mustang GT3 has already made waves in endurance racing, and now, it’s time to see what it can do in one of the toughest sprint series on the planet. The Ford faithful have waited 36 years for this moment. Now, it’s game on.
Take a look at the YouTube video that chucks in a few emotions to show how cool it is that Ford has finally returned to one of the most well0-knwn race series on the planet - DTM. The GT3 Mustangs are cool, but we'd dig to see the last car to enter under the official Ford banner, the RS500: Ford Returns to DTM with Haupt Racing Team | Mustang GT3 | Ford Performance | Ford Performance
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