Gradient Racing has acquired a Ford Mustang GT3 with the intention of competing in the GTD class in 2025. Currently, the team races an Acura NSX GT3 Evo22 for Sheena Monk and Stevan McAleer. This transition signifies a significant advancement for Gradient Racing as they expand their partnership with Ford Performance and solidify their commitment to the IMSA GTD class in the long term.
“We are extremely thrilled to join the Ford Performance family with the new Mustang GT3 for the 2025 season and beyond,” said Andris Laivins, the owner of Gradient Racing. “Multimatic, our good friends, have done an exceptional job with this car. It represents the pinnacle of GT3 engineering, and we are eagerly looking forward to gaining more experience by putting in some serious mileage. The factory team has made tremendous strides in developing the new platform, and as a customer program, we will greatly benefit from their expertise.”
Gradient Racing will become the second team to compete with the Mustang GT3 in the GTD class. Proton Competition is currently running the car with Gianmarco Levorato and Corey Lewis as the primary drivers for this season.
“We are delighted to welcome Gradient Racing to the Ford Performance family as they prepare their newly acquired Ford Mustang GT3 for the upcoming IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship program in 2025,” declared Mark Rushbrook, the global director of Ford Performance Motorsport. “We are excited to support them in this new phase of their IMSA program. Our mission is to provide Mustang’s core essence to customer teams worldwide, from Mustang Dark Horse R and Mustang GT4, to our ultimate expression of Mustang in our sports car racing lineup, Mustang GT3.”
Before the 2025 racing season, Gradient Racing will embark on a testing plan during the summer and fall to familiarize themselves with the new Mustang. “We have a lot to learn,” added Laivins. “As we delve into the technical aspects at the workshop, we are engaging with drivers and partners who will be a good fit for the program as it takes shape and plan to offer testing opportunities soon.”
With the transition to Ford, Monk and McAleer, who achieved their first podium together at Road America this past weekend, are not expected to continue with Gradient, a team that has had a long-standing partnership with Acura. Laivins expressed his gratitude to Acura and Honda Racing Corporation for their six-year collaboration: “Without HRC, Gradient would likely not be competing at this level,” stated Laivins. “I feel a great deal of pride for our time with the Acura brand. We will finish this season strongly and enter 2025 with cherished memories and hopefully a few more trophies.”
Fans attending the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion on Aug. 14-17 will have the opportunity to see the new Gradient Racing Mustang GT3 for the first time. It will be displayed alongside its roadgoing counterpart, the new Mustang GTD.
Photo from Gradient Racing Instagram
