The Spa 1000km GT1 Winning 2010 Ford GT1 by Matech

One of only six GT1-specification Ford GTs built by renowned Swiss engineering firm Matech Concepts.

GT1 class-winner and pole-sitter at the 2010 1000 km of Spa with the Marc VDS Racing Team.

A crucial part of the Ford GT’s return to the Le Mans 24 Hours, more than four decades after the legendary GT40’s final victory at La Sarthe, qualifying 2nd in GT1 and leading the class before an off halted its progress.

Restored to its original GT1 specification and 2010 Marc VDS livery, chassis 004 has covered only limited mileage since its restoration. Supplied with a comprehensive spares package and EU taxes paid.

A potential GT1 winner, eligible for prestigious events including the 2026 Le Mans Classic, Peter Auto’s Endurance Racing Legends, Masters Endurance Legends, and the HSR Daytona 24 Hours.

The Matech Ford GT1

Matech Concepts was a Geneva-based motorsport and engineering firm founded by the late Martin Bartek in 2006. From the outset, the team formed a close relationship with Ford Racing, initially distributing the U.S.-built FR500 Mustang across Europe. The long-term goal, however, was to enter top-flight GT racing with Ford’s modern homage to the GT40 — the Ford GT.

Debuting in 2007 with a GT3-class Ford GT, Matech’s first car proved competitive immediately. The following season, the team captured the FIA GT3 European Team Championship, establishing itself as a serious force in international GT competition.

Building on that success, Matech announced plans to move up to the GT1 category. Although Ford had previously declined to homologate the GT for ACO or Le Mans-type competition, this changed in March 2009 when Brian Wolfe, then Director of Ford North America Motorsports, authorised the development of a GT1 variant. Ford stipulated that all engines would be supplied through its official partner, Roush Yates.

The result was a technical tour de force. The chassis and safety structures were engineered by Heggemann AG, specialists in aerospace and advanced automotive projects, whilst power came from a thundering Roush Yates–developed 5.3-litre ‘Cammer’ V8 paired with a six-speed Xtrac sequential transmission. A steel tub, carbon-fibre bodywork, aerodynamics refined in Ford of Europe’s Cologne wind tunnel, Multimatic dampers, AP Racing brakes, and a full MoTeC electronics suite completed the package.

The 2009 season served as a development year, with two modified GT3 chassis adapted to GT1 regulations. For 2010, four purpose-built GT1 chassis were completed, fielded by Matech Competition and Marc VDS Racing in both the GT1 World Championship and the Le Mans Series. A defining moment came at that year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, marking Ford’s return to the race 41 years after the original GT40’s final triumph at La Sarthe.

This Car - MR10FORDGT1SN004

Chassis MR10FORDGT1SN004 is one of just four GT1-specification Ford GTs constructed by Matech Concepts, the Swiss firm that helped return the Blue Oval to international GT racing. Completed ahead of the 2010 season, this example was delivered new to the accomplished Belgian outfit Marc VDS Racing.

Following a pair of pre-season tests at Paul Ricard, chassis 004 was dispatched to Abu Dhabi for the inaugural round of the FIA GT1 World Championship. With Finnish talent Markus Palttala and Belgian racer Renaud Kuppens sharing driving duties, the car’s debut proved a challenging baptism – retiring in the opening race before taking a solid 10th in the prestigious Tourist Trophy at Silverstone. Yet the team’s persistence would soon be rewarded. The turning point came at the 1000 km of Spa, the second round of the 2010 Le Mans Series and Marc VDS’s home event. Palttala was joined by two Belgian standouts: Eric De Doncker – already a race winner with the GT3-spec Matech Ford GT – and the seasoned single-seater and GT campaigner Bas Leinders. From the first laps, the No. 70 Marc VDS Ford GT showed its intent, storming to GT1 class pole position ahead of the ‘works’ Matech entries.

The race itself proved dramatic, with torrential rain and a power outage that triggered a lengthy red flag period. Through it all, the trio remained composed, executing a flawless drive to convert pole into a commanding GT1 class victory, leading home a Ford 1–2–3. It was a dream result on home soil for Marc VDS and a defining triumph for Ford’s GT1 programme.

After the euphoria of Spa, chassis 004 returned to GT1 World Championship duty but endured a difficult run at Brno, finishing a distant 16th overall. Focus then shifted to the 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans – Ford’s first official return to La Sarthe in over four decades. Three Matech-built GT1s were entered, with chassis 004 as the sole Marc VDS representative piloted by Spa-winning line-up Palttala, Leinders, and De Doncker. Qualifying second in class, the car ran strongly in the opening hours, even leading pace-setting Aston Martin DBR9 before a slow puncture caused a crash after 26 laps. Though retirement followed, its early pace reaffirmed the car’s competitiveness and its place in Ford’s modern racing legacy.

Chassis 004 remained with Marc VDS for several years before being sold to German racer Uwe Alzen in 2012. Converted to GT3 specification with new VIN: JAMFORDGT0000016, it contested the VLN Championship between 2014 and 2016, achieving two race victories ahead of contemporary GT3 manufacturer backed efforts, followed by three wins in the 2018 SRR Championship. Most notably during the period of Alzen ownership, it set the VLN Nurburgring Nordschleife lap record with Nico Verdonck on a 7:58:558 time in 2016.

Acquired by a private owner in 2022, the car has since undergone an extensive restoration by Gipimotor in Belgium to return it to its original GT1 specification and 2010 Marc VDS livery. The chassis was inspected and jigged by Matter; all safety systems renewed; and the 5.3-litre ‘Cammer’ V8 rebuilt by Accel Moteur in August 2024. On the dyno, the refreshed engine produced 690bhp & 630Nm in unrestricted form and 630bhp & 580Nm with the correct air restrictors fitted. Crucially, during the restoration, the car’s original VIN plate was discovered beneath the later GT3 identification.

With only shakedown mileage since completion and accompanied by an exhaustive spares package – including two sets of wheels, AP carbon brake discs, a spare subframe and more – chassis 004 is ready to make a spectacular return to the race track. Eligible for blue-chip historic events such as the 2026 Le Mans Classic, Peter Auto’s Endurance Racing Legends, Masters Endurance Legends, and HSR Daytona 24 Hours, this Matech-built Ford GT1 stands among the rarest and most evocative GT cars of its generation. A fusion of American muscle, state-of-the-art European engineering and true GT racing pedigree, it offers an exceptional opportunity to acquire one of the most significant Ford GT competition cars of the modern era.

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