First pole of the season and points finish in Fuji

The 2026 6 Hours of Fuji on 27 September presented Proton Competition and its pair of Ford Mustang LMGT3 with a host of challenges. Inclement weather, a closely fought class battle and a series of key strategic decisions tested Christian and Michael Ried’s squad at Fuji Speedway – but the team rose to the occasion.

Proton Competition’s strong performance at the sixth round of the FIA World Endurance Championship began in practice, with the #77 Ford Mustang LMGT3 of Eric Powell, Sebastian Priaulx and Ben Tuck setting the fastest time across all three sessions. With qualifying cancelled due to the weather conditions, that benchmark secured Proton Competition its first pole position of the season.

Come race day, the #77 car made an excellent start with Eric Powell behind the wheel, as the US driver produced a composed opening stint. Running second at the halfway mark, the team was firmly in contention at the front of the field and well placed to challenge for its first podium of the season.

Tuck and Priaulx shared the remainder of the race, with both drivers facing a demanding final half. Rain arrived at the circuit while multiple safety-car periods repeatedly bunched up the field, adding further uncertainty to the strategic picture.

With just 30 minutes remaining and the race back to green, Priaulx was well in the fight for a podium position, but ultimately missed out during a hectic closing phase. The ninth-place finish nevertheless bagged the team some valuable points in the championship battle.

For the #88 sister car of Stefano Gattuso, Giammarco Levorato and Logan Sargeant, however, the race was over almost as soon as it began. Contact with other cars during the chaotic opening laps caused significant damage, forcing the car into retirement.

The next challenge for Proton Competition in the FIA World Endurance Championship is the 6 Hours of Barcelona, the penultimate round of 2026, on 16 to 18 October. Before that, the team will be back in action at the season finale of the European Le Mans Series on 8 to 10 October.