Max Verstappen is arguably one of the greatest Formula 1 drivers in history, but his extracurricular activities have seen him praised as one of the most versatile of the current generation.
From sim racing to turning laps in GT3 cars – allegedly in record times – Verstappen tries to do it all, so it would’ve been a surprise for him to say no to a steer of the Ford Mustang GTD, even without the Blue Oval brand being his engine supplier next year.
It might seem odd for Verstappen to be undertaking promotional duties for Ford well and truly before its engines are bolted into the back of his Red Bull in 2026, however he and his team-mates have been doing so for the best part of the past 18 months.
In a video uploaded to YouTube, the four-time F1 champion spent the day with automotive journalist Chris Harris – best known for his channel Chris Harris on Cars, as well as being a former host of Top Gear – first in the passenger seat of a road-going Ford RS200, before truly testing the Mustang GTD.
If you haven’t heard about the Mustang GTD, it’s Ford’s road-going version of its GT3 racer, akin to Porsche’s 911 GT3 RS.
Powered by a 5.2-litre supercharged V8 engine and featuring an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transaxle, it’s a far cry from the Mustang in Australian showrooms, which also goes without double-wishbone front suspension and pushrod rear suspension, as well as Brembo carbon ceramic brakes.
The Mustang GTD is the fastest American car ever around the Nürburgring, having set a time of six minutes and 52.072 seconds, placing it fourth on the Nordschleife’s official leaderboard for production sports cars (excluding hypercars such as the Mercedes-AMG One).
That accolade might not stand for long though, as Chevrolet is set to imminently announce the lap times of its flagship mid-engine Corvettes.
We’ll let you watch the rest of the video without spoiling it, however Verstappen provides fascinating insights into life as a Formula 1 driver, as well as hints at future aspirations.
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