The Ford Performance GT will take on Mount Panorama at the Bathurst 1000 with Aussie racer, Ryan Briscoe at the wheel.

The Ford Performance GT is on its way to Australia to take on Mount Panorama in the curtain raiser for the Bathurst 1000. Ford Chip Ganassi Racing driver, Ryan Briscoe will muscle the thing around the Mountain.

“We’re excited to have the opportunity to put this amazing race car on such an iconic circuit,” said Ford Australian and New Zealand President and CEO, Kay Hart. “Innovation through design and engineering drives Ford Performance, and where better than Bathurst to introduce the Ford Performance GT to Australians.”

The Ford Performance IMSA GT Number 67 is being flown out to Australia and reunite with Briscoe who, together with co-driver Richard Westbrook has piloted the GT to victory in Canada, Road Amera and the 2018 Rolex 24 -hour at Daytona to kick-start his 2018 championship campaign.

“Nothing quite compares to Bathurst,” said Briscoe. “Bathurst as a circuit demands the highest respect at all times. It has the intensity of a circuit like Indy, where its very high speed and you just always need to be 100 -percent focused.

“Of all the circuits we race on, Bathurst is probably closest to Watkins Glen (New York), though, as they both have a very smooth, high-grip surface with a lot of high-speed corners.

“Watkins Glen doesn’t have near the elevation change that Mount Panorama has,” said Briscoe. “And while the downhill section of Bathurst is comparable to Laguna Seca, Laguna is a very low-grip track, so it’s different in that way.

Ford Performance will support the Ford Mustang’s entry into the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship, which kicks off in March at the Adelaide 500.