Paving a path as a professional racing driver from India is rare, but my ambition left me no other choice. It started at 4 years old, placing my palm against the bodywork of my father’s idling Ford Mondeo to feel the raw vibration of the engine.

Today, as a factory driver for HRT Ford Racing, that childhood spark has fully ignited.

At 28, I am proud to be a custodian of 125 years of Ford Racing history and more than 60 years of Mustang heritage. Last year, I had the privilege of sitting in Gerd Ruch’s iconic 1990s Fox Body Mustang before stepping into our modern Mustang GT3 for the resurgence of Ford into the DTM. Decades of innovation separate them, yet their souls are identical.

The raw, aggressive V8 rumble that drew me in as a child is the very spirit we bring to the grid today.

The Ultimate Test: Conquering Spa-Francorchamps

This heritage becomes incredibly real as we prepare for a crown jewel of our season: the legendary 24 Hours of Spa.

When you tackle Spa in a Ford, you walk in the footsteps of giants. Ford’s legacy on the Belgian tarmac is unmatched. I think of the iconic Ford Capris of the 1970s that claimed five overall victories. I think of 1989, when the ferocious, turbocharged Sierra RS500 Cosworth led the field to secure Ford's sixth overall Spa crown.

Now, we return to the Ardennes with an even more refined Mustang GT3. To represent Ford at one of the world's toughest GT3 endurance races, chasing a historic seventh overall victory, is the absolute pinnacle of my career to this point.

The grueling development work we do in these 24-hour classics directly transfers to the road, proving our racing program is built to push limits. A great example of that race-to-road connection was our 24 Hours of Nürburgring effort — weeks from the Mustang GTD setting the track record for American OEMs on the Nordschleife.

Bringing the Fight to DTM

While Spa is our ultimate endurance test, we are also bringing this same drive to the sprint grids of DTM. Last season, we reintroduced Ford to the championship after a 30-year hiatus, proving our outright pace with front-running qualifying performances at the Norisring and Nürburgring.

For the 2026 season, we have a more well-rounded, refined Mustang GT3. Backed by a year of data and the incredible crew at HRT Ford Racing, we are fully equipped to challenge the world's best manufacturers across both sprint and endurance formats.

My team will tell you I am one of the friendliest drivers in the paddock. But they also know the truth: Once the helmet goes on and the visor drops, all bets are off.

We are here to win.

Arjun Maini is a Ford Racing Factory Driver.