Evans hoping to build on Mustang GT4 success in Europe

Erik Evans, driver of the No. 61 Academy Motorsports Ford Mustang S650 GT4 in the 2025 European GT4 Series powered by RAFA Racing Club, on where he hopes his GT racing travels will take him in the grand scheme of global motor racing:

“When I signed up for this sports car racing stuff, it’s to eventually go on and compete in the biggest races like the 24 Hours of Daytona, 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 24 Hours of Spa,” said the 22 year-old out of Atlanta, Georgia. “And with Ford entering the Hypercar class in 2027, if I work hard, do my job right and keep putting in results, I think that’s the goal. Hopefully I get a shot to go up to the Hypercar and compete for an overall win.”

After wrapping up his third consecutive GT4 European Series season sixth in the championship, Evans returned him to begin planning for 2026.

“I’m just on the grind of figuring out sponsorship and contracts and all that stuff for next year,” said Evans. “It’s silly season. I’m working on what to do next year in terms of the direction that we want to go and stuff like that. It’s that crazy time of year when you’re trying to figure out what seat to take and what seat you want to be in, and then finding the funding and the sponsorship to go do it, because that’s a big part of it.”

Evans was pleased with his GT4 European Series campaign.

“We’re done for the year and it was a great year," he said. "To go out like we did at the start of the year and win races and be such a competitive car was excellent. At one point we were even leading the European Championship. Yeah, I think it was a great year. I think we just had a little bit of bad luck in the middle of the season and that took us out of overall contention, but things happen and that’s racing.

“We had a stronger end to the season with a podium at the Nürburgring and a bunch of top 10 finishes. We ended up finishing sixth in, arguably, one of the most competitive racing series in the world. Man, that’s still a good result. It stings a little bit considering at one point during this year we were leading the championship.

“Every year the GT4 European Series is just on another level. It’s so competitive. Every time we go out, there is probably about 15 cars going to win the race. The level of competition out there is amazing. Props to everyone that ran this season. I mean, it was tough out there. Everyone is such a good driver at the front that you have to be perfect in order to win, and I’m so proud to be able to say that we won out there this year.

"I mean, what an amazing job by the Academy Motorsports team and all of the guys that work on the car day in and day out. They made sure the car was as good as we were going to get it. The team is on another level in terms of, it is a family and everyone works so hard to make it a winning car. Ford and Multimatic Motorsports are also behind it to give us the best equipment possible. They get the team all the help that they can to help us compete for a championship. I can’t thank any of those guys enough to get to the point where we have gotten.

“Ford has been so incredibly helpful. The contract for me this year to be on the Ford Junior Development Team has been one of the honors of my life so far. To be integrated with such an amazing brand with such a rich history in racing is awesome. Obviously, to fly that American flag proud with the American muscle car is excellent. As an American on foreign soil, to be able to represent America with myself and also that famous blue oval makes me quite proud. All the cool things we got to do this year with Ford was so good. All the help that they’ve given us on the driver development side and the marketing side and all that stuff, they have just been an incredible partner. I’m so fortunate that I’ve been able to be a part of this Junior Development program.”

Now in the middle of his own research and development program to sort out his racing program for 2026 and beyond, Evans is enthused about what might be ahead of him.

"We are all eyes on 2026 and right now we are just weighing up our options on what to do," he said. "I think the main goal is, if everything was to go my way, to be racing in Europe in a GT3 Mustang. Thar’s a lot of budget, so there are things that we’ve got to figure out from a sponsorship side and working on deals to try and make it happen. At the very minimum I’ll for sure be back in the GT4 European Championship. Hopefully, I’ll also get to do a race or two in the IMSA GT4 Championship as a guest appearance - especially if it was able to come together at Road Atlanta and Petit Le Mans. That is one of the coolest races of the year, and of course it’s at my home track. What a riot that would be.

“I’m proud to be a Monster Energy athlete. I think it’s one of the coolest brands in the world to be associated with. I’m just working on who else we can add to this arsenal. They can come from all walks of business. We’re just working deals like that, man. We’re trying to add as many people to the roster that we can. We’re trying to sell experiences at the track rather than just a sticker on the car. So I’m back in Atlanta and trying to put everything together.

"The problem that we are running into is that 2026 is not that far away and we’re trying to wheel and deal and trying to put together a program that I’m excited to be a part of. And hopefully, if everything goes right, I’ll move up to the next level. However, if I have to stay down in GT4 another year and try to go for the championship, it’s not the worst thing.

"I think GT3 would be a real cool thing to do. Obviously, I’d love to be in a GT3 car, but I think it is possible that I’m end up rerunning GT4 again in 2026 and then putting together a really, really strong program for 2027. Our options are open to everything and we’re just trying to assess what the best path to go down. My number one goal in 2026 is to do GT3 in Europe in 2026. If everything could fall in place, that would be the number one goal for 2026. However, we also have a really strong option to rerun GT4 again. That’s not a bad option to have. It all depends on what packages we can pull together. Either way, we are expecting to be with Ford, 100-percent. Whether it’s a GT4 or GT3 car, that’s what we are expecting.

“It doesn’t get much tougher than the European GT4 Series. We ran it the year before in 2024 and we were developing the brand-new and facelifted GT Ford car, and by the end of the year we got it up to a pretty competitive spot. This year we took it to another level. Once you get a couple of wins under your belt, which we did this year, you start to learn what it takes to win. Winning at this level, where teams and drivers that are so talented and good at what they do, definitely opens your eyes to where you have to be absolutely perfect to go out and beat these guys.

"The goal is to do GT4 and then make the step up to GT3. I want to earn my spot on a manufacturer’s roster and move up to Hypercar and compete for overall wins. That is the dream. I want to compete at Le Mans and Daytona and Sebring. Other than F1, I think every driver dreams of winning these races, including the guys in F1.”