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New Lease On Life
Matech Competition revamps the Ford GT1 for the 2010 season with brand spankin’ new parts.
Other than a similar shape of the 2009 prototype, Swiss sports car fabricator Matech Competition did some extensive surgery to the underneath bits of their new 2010 GT1 Championship contender. New transmission, suspension, aerodynamics and powerplant will help the Ford GT1 compete in the FIA GT1 Championship starting at the Yas Marina circuit on April 17th.
The Ford GT is one of those classic shapes that never gets old, no matter how many iterations we see—kind of like another German manufacturer’s car—and we don’t mind it one bit.
PRESS BLAST:
As early as 2009, before the regulations of the
new GT Championship came into force, Matech
Concepts started developing a new Ford GT1 based
on the prototype fielded in the previous season.
On the way to the Portuguese circuit at Portimão,
Matech Competition stopped in Spain at the Ascari
circuit to perform the roll-out of the new car. With
Thomas Mutsch at the wheel, the first metres of
the Ford GT1 went according to plan, just as the
driver and Martin Bartek had been hoping: “The car
is completely new. Not a single element, be it the
engine, the transmission system, the suspension
or aerodynamics are the same as those of the Ford
GT1 from 2009. The roll-out was very promising,
and we are confident with regard the forthcoming
season.” The next step will be the “balance of
performance” at Portimão on 3 and 4 February,
followed by further testing at the Alcañiz circuit
where a handful of previously selected drivers will
take the wheel of the Ford GT1. This first stage
will then be concluded by the presentation of the
vehicle to the press in Paris on 1 March.
The driver pairings…
To determine the final line-up for the cockpits of the
two Ford GT1 cars, Matech Competition has invited
seven drivers to participate in a comparative test in
a “special” Ford GT3 on the Portimão circuit.
In addition to the five men – Mathias Beche, Yann
Zimmer, Borja Garcia, Casper Elgaard and Carlo
Van Dam – the group also includes two ladies,
Natacha Gachnang and Cyndie Allemann. ‘’Our
goal, clearly, is to form two teams that are as strong
as possible by giving young drivers, including
women, an opportunity to compete. For these
tests, they will be driving one of our Ford GT3 cars
on which we have removed the ballast and the
air-restrictor so that it will handle in a similar way on
the track as the GT1,” explains Martin Bartek. After
this initial evaluation, there will be some candidates
for further tests, this time in the Ford GT1 at the
Motorland circuit near Alcañiz. Jonathan Hirschi
and Marc Hennerici will join this test as well.
The 2010 Matech Ford GT1
unveiled.
(Hat tip: TheAwesomer)
Do want.