The 70th ADAC Westfalenfahrt kicks off the new season of the Nürburgring Endurance Series (NLS) next weekend. For the first time under competitive conditions, HRT Ford Performance will line up with two Ford Mustang GT3s.
- First major challenge for HRT and Ford Mustang GT3 at NLS1
- Top-class line-up with Nordschleife experts competes in SP9 Pro class
After an intensive testing and preparation phase, HRT Ford Performance is set for its first competitive outing with the Ford Mustang GT3 this coming weekend. At the opening race of the Nürburgring Endurance Series, the team from Drees will line up with two cars that will take on the 70th ADAC Westfalenfahrt in the SP9 Pro class. Racing in the NLS is an important part of the comprehensive development program of HRT and the US manufacturer.
HRT Ford Performance is relying on a high-caliber line-up with several Nordschleife experts for the highly acclaimed premiere of the new race car. The #2 Ford Mustang GT3 will be driven by Nico Bastian (GER), Arjun Maini (IND), Dennis Olsen (NOR) and three-time 24h Nürburgring winner Frank Stippler (GER), four experienced drivers who can each look back on numerous successes in this long-standing series. The car in the design of team partner RAVENOL combines the blue primary color with a yellow rear section.
The second Ford Mustang GT3 will join the grid with starting number 6. The line-up consists of Dennis Fetzer, Jusuf Owega, David Schumacher (all GER) and Dirk Müller (SUI). All four drivers have raced for the Haupt Racing Team on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife in the past. Visually, the GT3 #6 impresses with its inverted RAVENOL design in yellow with blue accents.
As in the previous season, the Haupt Racing Team relies on the proven high-performance tires from YOKOHAMA ADVAN. Both Ford Mustang GT3s will hit the track on the rubber of the Japanese team partner.
The first of ten races on this year's NLS calendar starts on Saturday, 22 March, at 12:00 CET. The teams traditionally use the first three NLS events as preparation for the ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring (21/22 June). Two further four-hour races will take place on 24 and 25 May as part of the ADAC 24h Qualifiers.
Ulrich Fritz, Chief Executive Officer Haupt Racing Team: “The whole team is really looking forward to our first race weekend with the Ford Mustang GT3. We couldn't have chosen a better location than our home track for the debut. The priority will be to gather data and experience in order to optimally prepare for the 24-hour race in June.”
About HRT
The Haupt Racing Team (HRT) was founded in 2020 by racing driver and entrepreneur Hubert Haupt and has firmly established itself in international GT3 sport. Its greatest successes to date include the 2021 DTM Drivers' Championship, the 2023 GT World Challenge Europe Drivers' and Teams' Titles (Sprint and Silver Cup) and the 2023 and 2024 ADAC GT Masters Teams' Titles, as well as class wins and podium finishes in the 24 Hours of the Nürburgring and Spa-Francorchamps. From the 2025 season, HRT will run the Ford Mustang GT3 with factory support from Ford Performance in several high-profile racing series and championships. HRT is also actively involved in the promotion of young talent, covering the entire pyramid of driver development from entry into motorsport in the HRT Kart Team to the highest level of GT racing in the DTM. The joint operations center is the state-of-the-art HRT RACE BASE in Drees at the Nürburgring, where technical development projects and motorsport events of all kinds are also carried out.
