The Ford Mustang GT3 is amongst the latest additions to iRacing’s lineup of GT3 cars, released on the platform for Season 3 of 2024 together with the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R.
You may have already tested the new Ford in Assetto Corsa Competizione, and the car has similar strengths and weaknesses in iRacing. Let’s learn more about it and find out if it is a good choice for GT3 racing in a different simulator.
Introducing the Ford Mustang GT3
Ford developed the Mustang GT3 in collaboration with Canadian firm Multimatic Motorsports, who perform GT3 modifications to a chassis assembled by Ford in Michigan, making the new Mustang something of a collaborative product.
Ford has a long history in motorsports, but they took a break from WEC and Le Mans to build this new Mustang after the Ford GT GTE competed in the late 2010s. Now, in 2024, they have returned to endurance racing ready to compete at the highest level. The new Mustang GT3 vehicle marks the first time since 1997 that a Mustang will compete at the Circuit des 24 Heures du Mans, ending a 27-year absence.
The Proton Competition team was the first customer to order the Mustang GT3, racing it in the World Endurance Championship and the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup from the 2024 season’s get-go. In fact, just recently the new Mustang took a podium finish on its Le Mans debut at the hands of Proton. Ford also competes with its factory team in the GTD class of the IMSA series.
- Here at Coach Dave Academy, our team of professional drivers and engineers already have developed high-quality qualifying and race-trim setups for this car, all of which you can get as a part of our iRacing setup subscription.
The Basic Car Characteristics
The Mustang GT3 features a 5.4-litre naturally-aspirated V8 engine positioned just behind the front axle for optimal weight distribution. It has a dry weight of 1,315 kg and is limited to 516 horsepower which are fairly standard specs in GT3, but the car’s body design and the roar of the V8 set it apart.
This car has a long front end, reminiscent of the BMW M4 GT3, and a high, sculpted rear with a big wing and side exhausts that hint at the powerful V8 engine underneath. The front end has a noticeable hump in the middle, adding to its aggressive appearance.
Together, this gives the Mustang pretty typical characteristics of a front-engined, relatively large GT3 car: it leans towards a tendency to understeer, it can take kerbs well and it is reliable over long distances.
Steering and Cornering
This car’s handling is similar to that of the Mercedes-AMG and the BMW M4 GT3. The Mustang is very stable and friendly on the track, which is great for those new to GT3 racing. However, it can still be fast in capable hands.
The Mustang feels planted in slow and medium-speed corners. It tends to understeer when braking hard into a corner, but it’s manageable. The front end can feel light at higher speeds, particularly during aggressive trail braking, leading to a bit of a rear snap. The steering does not feel as twitchy as in the Porsche, and you can feel the tail moving, making it easier to catch when it slides.
The Mustang is stable and smooth over kerbs, barely moving and maintaining its line well. The car feels balanced and responsive, offering a lot of faith even on circuits with the new iRacing 3D kerbs.
Power Delivery and Braking
The brakes are strong, and the car tips nicely into slow-speed corners when you get off the brakes. This is different from the Porsche, for example, which requires more use of the brakes to turn. However, high-speed trail braking can unsettle the car, leading the front to feel numb and lead to a rear snap.
The engine has a wonderful sound, although it feels heavier and more unwieldy than the Corvette. The Mustang has a good top speed overall in iRacing too, but not to the extent of the Mustang GT3 in Assetto Corsa Competizione.
Aerodynamics and Bodywork
Once in the car, the first noticeable thing is how low you sit. The dash feels unusually high and the field of vision is like you are looking out of a mailbox. Make sure you adjust the driver height depending on the monitor setup to improve visibility, especially for undulating corners, but this is all part of the Mustang’s packaging.
The aero adjustments include only the rear wing and ride heights. GT3 cars are sensitive to changes in ride heights, regardless of whether they are caused by static (ride height) or dynamic (due to wing, springs etc.) setup adjustments. If you aim to keep the same aero balance with different rear wing settings, here are the ride height adjustments recommended by iRacing for this car:
- Rear wing angle: +1, front ride height: -1.5 mm or rear ride height: +4.0 mm
- Rear wing angle: -1, front ride height: +1.5 mm or rear ride height: -4.0 mm
Where You Can Race It
GT3 cars are among the most popular in iRacing, so you get access to many regular, weekly and special events with the Mustang.
C Licence
The C-tier sportscar license unlocks the GT Endurance Series, a GT3-only championship featuring 3-hour weekend races. Participation requires registering as a team with at least two drivers, so you can see this as an endurance-focused series that’s aimed at more experienced GT3 drivers despite its low license requirements.
B Licence
The B licence grants access to four additional championships: two multiclass series (IMSA Endurance Series and Global Endurance Tour) and two GT3-only series (GT3 Challenge and GT Sprint Series).
- The GT3 Challenge offers the most casual experience with 20-minute races, a fixed setup and up to 20 drivers on the grid. Its calendar is similar to the GT Endurance VRS Series.
- The GT Sprint Series shares the same calendar and car selection as the GT Endurance VRS Series, but features 40-minute races.
- The IMSA Endurance Series is the most accessible entry into multiclass racing, featuring GT3 cars alongside modern LMP2 and LMDh prototypes. Team entry is required, but can include just one driver.
- The Global Endurance Tour is similar to the IMSA Endurance Series but with races lasting 24 hours.
A Licence
At the top of the iRacing championship ladder is the multiclass IMSA iRacing Series, available to A licence drivers. Participants can choose between open or fixed setup championships, which differ only in setup restrictions and race length.
This is arguably the most popular of the series that the Mustang GT3 can compete in, drawing attention from GTP and LMP2 drivers in parallel to create high Strength of Field races.
Here is the summary of all regular races available on iRacing for the Mustang GT3:
| Series | Licence | Cars | Schedule | Race length | Max grid |
| GT Endurance Series | C | GT3 | Weekends (3 time slots) | 3 hours | 60 teams |
| GT3 Challenge (Fixed) | B | GT3 | Every 2 hours | 20 minutes | 20 drivers |
| GT Sprint Series | B | GT3 | Every 2 hours | 40 minutes | 30 drivers |
| IMSA Endurance Series | B | LMDh, LMP2, GT3 | Weekends (4 time slots) | 2 hours 40 minutes | 50 teams |
| Global Endurance Tour | B | LMDh, LMP2, GT3 | Weekends (3 time slots) | 24 hours | 50 teams |
| IMSA iRacing Series (Fixed) | A | LMDh, LMP2, GT3 | Every 2 hours | 35 minutes | 50 drivers |
| IMSA iRacing Series | A | LMDh, LMP2, GT3 | Every 2 hours | 45 minutes | 50 drivers |
- For dedicated competitors regularly engaging in GT3 racing, Coach Dave Academy offers a setup subscription covering all tracks featured in the current iRacing season.
Final Thoughts
The Mustang GT3 is a wonderful addition to iRacing, alongside the Corvette. Both cars have their strengths and offer unique driving experiences. The Ford Mustang feels big and heavy, much like the Mercedes-AMG GT3 and the BMW M4 GT3. If you enjoy driving front-engine cars then you should like the Ford.
