Alex 
The fix is in. Ford is jumping headfirst back into racing with the announcement of the new S650 Mustang Dark Horse lineup, and one of the most important events that the brand will be competing in is the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the summer of 2024.
“Mustang will go back to Le Mans. Once again, we will Go Like Hell” said executive Chair, Bill Ford.
The announcement was made during Ford’s Stampede press conference for the reveal of the 2024 S650 mustang. After surprising us all with the unexpected reveal of the high-performance Dark Horse Mustang, Ford went on to showcase the multiple racing series that it plans to compete in once the vehicle is built.
Ford’s legacy at Le Mans isn’t necessarily tied to the Mustang, but instead the prototype GT40. With a 1-2-3 finish at the 1966 race and a repeat of the feat, 50 years after with Ford Chip Ganassi Racing, Ford’s footprint in the endurance race was cemented, and set the standard for the upcoming effort.
“Mustang is raced at all the great tracks around the world, but there is no race or track that means more to our history than Le Mans,” said Bill Ford at The Stampede. “It’s where we took on Ferrari and won in the 1960s and where we returned 50 years later and shocked the world again.
The last time we saw a Mustang race at the famed endurance race was 1997, and before that in 1967. Although Ford didn’t see great success at Le Mans with the Mustang program in the past, it hopes that this time around will be different.
“The Mustang GT3 will be eligible in 2024,” said Mark Rushbrook, global director, Ford Performance Motorsports. “We look forward to seeing Mustang race there.”
As for whether or not Ford rival Chevrolet will field a Corvette GT3 race car, that remains to be seen.
The S650 Ford Mustang GT3 IMSA race car will also be available for privateer customers to race starting with 24 Hours of Daytona in 2024. It will be built by Multimatic Motorsports in Ontario and will be powered by a 5.4-liter Coyote-based V8 engine.
In addition to the Ford Mustang Dark Horse GT3, customers will also have the option of a GT4 car which will debut in the 2023 season, eligible for global GT4 classes in IMSA, SRO and FIA GT competition.
