Ford Performance Global Motorsports Director Mark Rushbrook has reaffirmed its customer relationship in the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge, stating Ford and Multimatic “share everything” with its customers, despite several Multimatic-run Mustang GT4s competing this season.

The Canadian-based outfit, which builds and provides technical support to the Mustang GT4, has entered two-full season entries this year, with Chad McCumbee and Patrick Gallagher in the No. 8 Modspace-sponsored entry and a second Ford Performance-backed entry primarily for the manufacturer’s NASCAR drivers.

Despite concerns shared pre-season between some of the privateer Ford teams, Rushbrook has insisted that its customers are being given the same level of support and data that Multimatic utilizes with its own entries.

“We sat down in Daytona during the Roar and very openly said, with Multimatic there with us, that Sean Mason runs that car and Jay O’Connell helps engineer. But Jay is a resource to all Mustang GT4 customer teams,” Rushbrook said.

“We’ve been very open and Multimatic has been very open to say, ‘We’ll share everything. It’s a full setup, we’re not going to hide any secrets.’

“I think that initial meeting was received very well by the customer teams and I think it’s removed those concerns.”

Led by Mustang GT4 technical director Jay O’Connell, the ‘open book’ policy begins prior to each race weekend, when suggested setup options are distributed to all customer teams.

Trackside support is also provided by O’Connell and his team, with the manufacturer also in regular communication with teams on potential Balance of Performance changes and other evolutions.

“Multimatic is trying to help all the Ford GT4 teams instead of trying to race against them,” O’Connell told Sportscar365. “Otherwise it gets a bit awkward.

“We certainly don’t want any teams to think they’re not getting the best possible parts; they’re getting the same and it’s always an open book.

“If KohR Motorsports has an issue, they can come ask me, ‘Hey, what’s the setup?’ I’ll just give them the setup. That way it cuts through all of the possible competitor issues and gives everyone the best chance for doing well for Mustang.”

Ford Rolls Out Mustang GT4 Updates

All six of the Mustang GT4s that took part in last month’s race at Sebring had mechanical and reliability updates, which were recently approved during SRO’s Balance of Performance test at Paul Ricard.

Unlike the FIA’s one-time Evo kits, GT4 cars are permitted minor developments under SRO homologation.

Ford provided updated half-shafts and a new steel prop-shaft to all of its customer teams, along with other optional updates, prior to the Pirelli World Challenge season-opener at St. Pete.

“To me, that’s something that’s very important, as customer teams, we don’t want them getting caught by surprise or behind on part updates,” Rushbrook said.

“Whenever we’re ready to roll [out] a change like that and get it approved, we make sure we have all the parts going out to the teams so they’ve got them.”