Ford Performance Mustang GT3 Driver Lineup for IMSA Will Have Familiar Look in 2024

Ford Performance is getting the band back together for its Mustang GT3 program in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship return in 2024.

Ford today announced the drivers for its two-car factory-backed IMSA GTD Pro team that will debut next season. Included are three drivers who were involved in the successful Ford GT program from 2016-19—a program that produced a class win at the 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans on the anniversary of Ford's historic first win at Le Mans in 1966.

For 2024, Ford will put its dreams of another successful run in the experienced hands of drivers Joey Hand, Dirk Muller, Harry Tincknell and Mike Rockefeller. Muller and Hand, along with Sebastien Bourdais, scored the win at Le Mans in 2016 with the Ford Chip Ganassi Racing entry. Tincknell raced in Ford's other entry at Le Mans in 2016.

Sports car veteran and 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Rockenfeller joins the program fresh from his time in the 2023 NASCAR Garage 56 Le Mans entry with Hendrick Racing.

Multimatic Motorsports will manage the Ford team in IMSA.

“We’re thrilled to embark on this exciting endeavor and to put our 58 years of global Mustang racing heritage and performance to the test against some of the world’s greatest manufacturers,” said Mark Rushbrook, global director, Ford Performance Motorsports. “We want to welcome Joey and Dirk back to the Ford family after a great few years with the GT program. Combined with Harry’s four wins during the Ford GT program and Mike’s impressive racecraft and résumé, this puts us in a strong starting position in the Mustang GT3’s debut season.”

Hand is excited to be a part of Ford's latest all-in effort in sports cars

“I’m super excited to finally announce this program and get going with it,” Hand said. “It’s been a long time coming—been working on this thing for over a year. I’m super thankful and proud to be involved in the early stages of testing the car. We’ve had it on-track a lot. I tell you, the first time I drove it, I really liked it. It’s one of those cars, for me, it just fits my style. I knew it right away. I think there are going to be a lot of great years of racing this car.”

Hand and Muller spent four seasons (2016-2019) together driving the No. 66 Ford GT in IMSA, where the team posted five wins, 14 podiums and seven pole positions. The two shared a 2017 Rolex 24 class victory for Ford at Daytona—one year after the Ford GT program’s debut.

Tincknell drove in the previous Ford GT race program from 2016 to 2019, driving the No. 67 sister car in WEC with Multimatic Motorsports. The Englishman saw major series success, which included class victories at Silverstone, Fuji and Shanghai, and a runner-up performance in the 2017 24 Hours of Le Mans.

“I’m very excited to be back with Ford where the family feeling runs right through the organization,” Tincknell said. “I am working with my race engineer from the Ford GT days and many of the crew are old friends from that time and subsequent Multimatic race programs.

‘I’m looking forward to driving with Rocky (Mike Rockenfeller). When I was racing in European Formula 3 in 2013, German DTM was the headline event and that was the year that Rocky won the title. Now, competing at the same level as him is pretty surreal when I think back to those days.”

Rockenfeller is a two-time winner at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and he's also captured the 24 Hours of Spa and the Nürburgring 24 Hours, the 2017 Twelve Hours of Sebring and overall winner of the 2010 Rolex 24 at Daytona.

“To have the opportunity to join Ford at this point in my career is fantastic and I’m excited to be part of a new program with a new car,” Rockenfeller said. “I drove the Mustang GT3 at Sebring a couple of months ago and I have raced against the Ford GT many times so I know I am joining a very strong organization.”