Australian Alliance for Ford Factory GT3 Effort at Suzuka Confirmed

Two Australian teams, Miedecke Motorsport and Team MPC, have officially joined forces to run a Ford Mustang GT3 at the Suzuka 1000Km next month. The alliance will race under the Ford Racing banner, carrying the name 'Miedecke Motorsport by Team MPC'. This is more than just a partnership; it's a blend of proven strength in Australian GT racing.

The news was first flagged by Ford and confirmed by both teams. With full factory support, the Ford Mustang GT3 will be driven by a trio of factory drivers: Chris Mies, Frederic Vervisch, and Dennis Olsen. All three are no strangers to the world endurance racing scene.

Miedecke Motorsport has long been Ford's agent in Australasia for its GT3, GT4, and Mustang Cup cars. Meanwhile, Team MPC has been synonymous with Audi's Australian GT program. This switch to Ford marks a significant step for a squad that has claimed 10 Pro-Am titles in Australian GT/GT World Challenge Australia.

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MPC director Troy Russell didn't hide his enthusiasm. "This is an exciting project for our team and we are really looking forward to heading to Japan to represent Ford at the Suzuka 1000," he said. "We've worked closely with Miedecke Motorsport and this deal is an extension of the partnership that has worked really well this year. This is one of the world's most revered sportscar races, and we feel that we have all the right ingredients to give it a real shake. Chris and Frederic have raced with our team in the past, so we know we have a great roster of drivers and we really can't wait to get over there."

The partnership has grown stronger with shared workshop space in Melbourne. Miedecke Motorsport CEO Andrew Miedecke added, "This is a fantastic opportunity for an all-Australian effort to compete in one of the world's great sportscar races. It's been great to grow our partnership with Team MPC this year. We share space at their Melbourne workshop and with our links to Ford, this partnership was the perfect fit. We all feel very grateful to be entrusted by Ford Racing to field their official factory entry at Suzuka. The line-up of drivers is terrific too. Ford goes racing to win, and that's our intention."

The Suzuka 1000Km takes place on September 12-14. With a combination of experienced drivers and full factory support, this alliance has the potential to be a surprise at one of Japan's most challenging circuits. Will they be able to compete with the big manufacturers? We'll have to wait and see.