Ford Driver Development Team Expands to 14 Members

Photo: Wes Duenkel/Ford

Ford Racing’s newly re-named Driver Development Team has expanded to 14 drivers for this year, with key additions in several emerging markets for Mustang machinery in the sports car racing ranks.

Launched last year as the Ford Performance Junior Team, the group initially featured six drivers: Jenson Altzman, Erik Evans, Robert Noaker, Sam Paley, Marco Signoretti and Nathan Vanspringel, who largely raced Mustang GT4s around the world or Mustang Dark Horse Rs in the second season of Mustang Challenge.

Former Ford Performance GT3 Junior driver Finn Wiebelhaus, who with co-driver Salman Owega claimed Ford’s first-ever championship title for the Mustang GT3 in ADAC GT Masters last year, has been integrated into the newly-named development program.

Other additions to the team for this year include Mustang Challenge North America driver Devin Anderson, Kiano Blum, who will step up to GT Masters with HRT, IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge race winner Nate Cicero as GT4 European Series driver Michael Haverans.

Inaugural Mustang Cup North America champion Will Lucas has also joined the expanded lineup, along with Australian Cameron McLeod, who became the winner of the first-ever Mustang Challenge Le Mans Invitational last year, as well as Pilot Challenge racer Clayton Williams.

The expanded program will continue to feature the involvement racing legends Mike Rockenfeller and Andy Priaulx, who will serve as mentors to the crop of up-and-coming drivers.

Several of the rising stars have already kicked off their campaigns, or are about to.

Blum claimed two podium finishes in last weekend’s GT Winter Series season opener in Estoril aboard a HRT Mustang GT3 while reigning Mustang Challenge North America champion Noaker, as well as Cicero and Williams, will be in Friday’s Pilot Challenge four-hour enduro at Daytona International Speedway.

Altzman, meanwhile, will be taking part in this weekend’s Rolex 24 at Daytona as part of Myers Riley Motorsports’ Mustang GT3 EVO squad in the GTD class, having been announced as the team’s third pilot for the Michelin Endurance Cup season.

2026 Ford Racing Driver Development Team:
Jenson Altzman
Devin Anderson
Kiano Blum
Nate Cicero
Erik Evans
Michael Haverans
Will Lucas
Cameron McLeod
Robert Noaker
Sam Paley
Marco Signoretti
Nathan Vansprigel
Finn Wiebelhaus
Clayton Williams

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John