Mustang GT3: Armageddon

I’ve come to the almost certain conclusion that God really does exist. What makes me say that? Well, for the last issue of ramp I wrote a story about the worst Formula 1 driver of all time. My mocking headline read “Otto the Slow”, a -reference to Otto Stuppacher, who in 1976, -during training for the USA Grand Prix in -Watkins Glen, had a staggering 27.4-second gap to pole setter James Hunt. A world record! It was a manuscript of malice and schadenfreude. Every sentence I wrote conjured a malicious smile onto my face.

The following story is about how the Almighty Judge handed me my deserved punishment. It all started with a Christmas card and best wishes for the new year. Sent by die agentour GmbH in Munich. Located on Rückertstraße, not far from the Oktoberfest grounds, the agency boasts many years of expertise in managing motorsport -talent. This is where Gerhard Berger signed his first Formula 1 contract with ATS back in 1984. Peter Linke, the current managing director, enclosed a photo of the stunning Ford Mustang GT3 that the Eifel-based Haupt Racing Team (HRT) will be competing with in the German Touring Car Championship, the ADAC GT -Masters, the GT World Challenge Europe and on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife in 2025. I saw this Mustang and followed my primal instincts.

“When can I ride this thing?” I asked Peter on the phone. He set me up with a date at the -Formula 1 circuit in Montmeló, north of -Barcelona, in the second half of February. Several teams from all over the world, mainly from the GT3 series, would be testing there for two days. But Le Mans prototypes would also be there, not entirely without its risks, and I would certainly have to expect a lot of traffic. “No problem, just warm up the car,” I replied confidently. As soon as our conversation had ended, I heaved a heavy sigh and whispered to myself, “Ugh, LMP alert.” I have driven quite a few racing cars in my life, including some real fireballs like the 2017 Porsche 911 RSR and Giancarlo Fisichella’s Ferrari 458 Italia GT2, but I had never seen a Le Mans prototype racing towards me in my -rearview mirror. One thing was clear: riding that Mustang in the thick of a wild herd like that was not going to be a walk in the park.

Eight weeks later, at Cecconi’s restaurant in -Barcelona, just a few hours to go before the worst day of my life: I’m sitting next to David -Schumacher, HRT driver, nephew of seven-time Formula 1 world champion Michael and son of six-time Grand Prix winner Ralf Schumacher. All around us are members of the team, -including Indian driver Arjun Maini, who once finished second overall in the British Formula 4 -championship behind a certain George Russell. I have known David Schumacher since he was six years old. He went to school with my son in -Salzburg, more precisely to Volksschule Morzg, where the surroundings looked like something out of the Austrian “heimatfilm” The Dairymaid of St. Kathrein. Just think The Sound of Music. Now you’ve got it. 

Once, at a children’s birthday party, we held a sack race. I landed badly on my face. Little David had long since overtaken me and was laughing his head off at the finish line. He had never seen a worse sack racer in his life. “You cheeky little louse,” I shouted, “I’ll tell your father, and he’ll tell your uncle Michael, and then you won’t be allowed to become a racing driver, so there!” But he did become one. Today he’s twenty-three. 

I ask him: “Dear David, can you give me some advice? At what meter mark will you brake tomorrow before the right-hand bend after the start and finish stretch?” – “Hm, not sure, but later than you, in any case.” – “Do you think that’s funny?” – “Yes.” – “Can I ask you for a more specific answer?” – “Maybe eighty, a hundred meters before the turn.” – “Fine, I’ll do the same.” – “Don’t.” – “Why not?” Uli Fritz, who’s sitting opposite me, inserts himself into the conver-sation. The long-time highly successful Mercedes DTM team principal and former CEO of motorsport and engineering firm HWA today is managing director of HRT. “Because it wouldn’t end well. And now we all want to toast a successful test drive tomorrow. I’m sure Kurt won’t disappoint us.”

The next morning, the blue and yellow Mustang, derived directly from the Dark Horse road car, is already chomping at the bit in the garage. Grandiose front end. Side exhaust pipes on the lower aprons. 5.4-liter naturally aspirated Coyote V8. 550 hp. 1,300 kilograms. Performance and weight can vary in racing, subject to the balance of performance set out in the regulations. Unit price: $800,000. And what a surprise! They’ve stuck my name on the car, complete with the Austrian flag, as if I were a real racing driver! Which of course puts a lot more pressure on me (...)

→ Read the whole story in ramp #67.