Jann Mardenborough is set to return to full-time endurance racing in 2025, with a new GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup programme.
The ex-Nissan factory driver will compete in a new Ford Mustang GT3 fielded by HRT Ford Performance. He will share the team’s #64 Pro class entry with factory driver Arjun Maini and ex-Boutsen VDS and AKKODIS ASP racer Thomas Drouet.
This marks a significant milestone for the Briton, whose last full racing season was in 2020 in Japan’s Super GT championship (GT500 class).
Over the past few years, he has broadened his involvement in motorsport and entertainment, playing a pivotal role in the creation of the Gran Turismo movie. His contributions included script development, stunt driving, and international promotional efforts, bringing his story to a global audience.
In 2023, he made a return to competition at the Fuji 24 Hours in the Super Taikyu Series, securing pole position and contributing to leading substantial portions of the race before mechanical issues saw the team finish just off the podium.
Building on that momentum, 2024 saw him back on European circuits, where he contributed to a victory in the Pro-Am class and an overall podium at the Silverstone 500, followed by a third-place team finish in Pro-Am at the 2024 Spa 24 Hours.
The 2025 season with HRT Ford Performance and the Ford Mustang GT3 in GTWC Europe Endurance Cup’s Pro class, he hopes, is the beginning of a long-term project.
“This is the start of an exciting new chapter,” said Mardenborough. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to race with HRT Ford Performance and to drive the Ford Mustang GT3 on some of the most iconic circuits in Europe.
“The past few years have been about growth and contribution in different ways, but nothing compares to being back behind the wheel full-time. I’m ready to give everything and show what we can achieve together.”
In addition, HRT also revealed its Silver Cup crew for the 2025 season. David Schumacher, Finn Wiebelhaus and Romain Andriolo will team up in the sister #65 Mustang.
Like his teammate Wiebelhaus, former DTM driver Schumacher contested an extensive racing program with Haupt Racing Team last season, achieving third place overall in the ADAC GT Masters and a race victory in the Nürburgring Endurance Series, among other successes.
Wiebelhaus, gold medal winner at last year’s FIA Motorsport Games, placed fourth overall in the ADAC GT Masters behind his teammate Schumacher, with one victory and two other podium finishes.
The young Frenchman Romain Andriolo comes from single seater racing and finished fourth in the 2023 French Formula 4 Championship. Andriolo gained his first experience of GT3 racing with HRT at the 24H Dubai.
“The GT World Challenge Europe is a highly competitive race series in which we have already celebrated a number of successes since the team was founded, including the 2023 championship in the Silver Cup sprint classification,” said Ulrich Fritz, the CEO of Haupt Racing Team.
“We are now facing a new challenge with the Ford Mustang GT3, which we are happy to take on. We want to continue developing the car throughout the season. The GT World Challenge Europe is the ideal platform for this. The whole team is looking forward to the challenge with optimism.”
Images courtesy of HRT
