The stunning new Matech-developed Ford GT1 has been officially unveiled during the annual FIA GT Championship media event at the Paul Ricard circuit in France.

The car, which will be campaigned by the Marc VDS Racing team as well as Matech themselves during the season ahead, has been developed to the new GT1 rules that will come into force next season, aimed at bringing down the costs involved of competing in the sport.

The 2010 GT1 cars can be developed by the manufacturers or independent tuners. A compromise between the cost-effective approach successfully developed with GT3, the detailed technical regulations of GT2 and the need to have distinctive cars, 2010 GT1 cars can be specifically built, an evolution of existing GT3 cars or a 2010 GT2 car with a performance kit.

“When I met Stephane about the GT1 project in late 2007, the goal we set and agreed at that time was to build a spectacular GT1 car but with the running budget of a GT3 equivalent car,” Matech's Martin Bartek said. “This is what I think we have managed to achieve in one-year's development time.

“We have built two cars, one which will be entered by ourselves, and the second which will be entered by MarcVDS Racing.”