The Ford Mustang GT3 has earned its first championship success globally, following a milestone weekend for the Blue Oval’s flagship customer GT car in the ADAC GT Masters season finale at the Hockenheimring.
Ford Racing factory-supported team Haupt Racing Team secured the team’s honours, and Ford Racing GT3 Junior drivers Finn Wiebelhaus and Salman Owega (below) clinched the drivers’ title with a race to spare on Saturday.
The breakthrough results followed a consistent season from the #1 Mustang GT3 of Wiebelhaus and Owega. The German duo won two of the first 11 races, alongside four further podium finishes, and followed it up with an additional victory once the pressure was off in the final race of the year.
“When we decided to take on this project with Ford Racing and Finn, we didn’t know what to expect,” Owega said. “It was a new car for us and a generally young team. Now we can say that it was as good as it could be. It can’t get any better, and the hard work paid off for the entire team. I’m just happy for Ford and Haupt Racing Team.
“When we were named as Ford Performance GT3 Juniors, it was immediately clear to Finn and me that we would be happy with nothing less than winning the title, and we knew that we had the potential to do so. To have now achieved that goal is awesome.”
“I’m super proud of the team. We did an amazing job all season long and flawless during the races where our Mustang GT3 was really fast,” Wiebelhaus added.
“Together with the team, we have constantly improved the car. HRT has really done a great job in that regard.”
Haupt Racing Team signed a multi-year deal with Ford Racing during the off-season, having raced Mercedes-AMG machinery since being formed in 2020.
The German outfit has campaigned the Mustang GT3 in four series in 2025, with the ADAC GT Masters joined by efforts in the DTM, Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS) and GT World Challenge Europe.
Further championship success could follow for the Mustang GT3 as soon as this weekend, with the Blue Oval heading to Petit Le Mans in contention for the IMSA Sportscar Championship’s GTD PRO Manufacturers’ crown.
Meanwhile, HRT will be aiming to end its first season with the Mustang GT3 on a high with the final rounds of both the NLS and GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup.
Work to further develop the Mustang GT3 platform continues, with the arrival of an Evo kit for 2026 as the American manufacturer looks to build on a sophomore season which has also seen it win at the 24 Hours of Daytona and finish fourth overall at the 24H Nürburgring.
Images courtesy of ADAC and Ford Racing
