Paul Ricard is a front engine track. Three cars share the top spot and all three have the engine ahead of the driver.
The Ford Mustang GT3, the Aston Martin V8 Vantage GT3 and the Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 all sit at 0 kg. The next car is the Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo, 10 kg back. Front engine again.
Two of the three are in the base game and the third was a free update. You do not need to buy anything to have the best car here.
The lap itself, corner by corner, is in my Paul Ricard track guide. If setups are new to you, read the ACC setup guide first. The car choice matters less than getting the pressures right.
The best cars at Paul Ricard: the short answer
| Car | Full Grip BoP | Layout | How you get it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Mustang GT3 | 0 kg (reference) | Front engine | Free update |
| Aston Martin V8 Vantage GT3 | 0 kg (reference) | Front engine | Base game |
| Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 | 0 kg (reference) | Front engine | Base game |
| Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo | -10 kg | Front engine | 2020 GT World Challenge Pack |
| Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 | -11 kg | Mid engine | 2023 GT World Challenge Pack |
The numbers come from Full Grip Motorsport's BoP for Paul Ricard, read on 5 October 2026. It is a league balance built from hotlap pace, not the official one in the game.
It works with ballast. The quickest car at each track is the reference at 0 kg. Every other car runs lighter to keep up. The more weight a car has taken off, the further it is from the pace there. I only show their top five. The full table is on their site.
Three reference cars and then a gap of 10 kg. The order of the first three below is mine, not theirs.
1. Ford Mustang GT3
I put the Mustang first because it is the best all round car of the three. Paul Ricard has the long Mistral straight, split by a chicane, and then Signes, one of the fastest corners in the game.
The Mustang has the engine for the straight and the stability for Signes. Then it is calm through the long double right of Beausset.
It does everything here without a weak point. And it is free.
2. Aston Martin V8 Vantage GT3
The Aston is the most stable car in the class under braking. Paul Ricard has three big stops: turn 1, the Mistral chicane and the tight corners of the last sector.
It is also a base game car, and an easy one to drive. If you are new to ACC and you want to be quick here without buying or learning anything difficult, this is it.
3. Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3
The GT-R lives on straight line speed. The Mistral and the pit straight give it room to use it.
It is heavy in the slow last sector and it pushes through Beausset. You make that back on the straights. Base game too.
Other cars that work at Paul Ricard
- Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo (-10 kg). The first car behind the tie. Strong over the chicane kerbs and good on traction out of the slow last corners.
- Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 (-11 kg). The best mid engine car here, level with the McLaren. Quick through Signes and Beausset, short on top speed.
- McLaren 720S GT3 Evo (-11 kg). Downforce helps in Signes and Beausset and costs on the Mistral. A free car, 11 kg off.
What Paul Ricard rewards
Top speed, stability at very high speed and good brakes.
The lap has three parts. A technical first sector with medium speed corners. Then the Mistral straight, the chicane and the run to Signes. Then Beausset and a slow, fiddly final sector.
Signes is the corner people talk about. You arrive at top speed and turn right with a small lift or none. A car that is nervous there costs you tenths and nerves.
Beausset straight after is a long double right that eats the front left tyre.
Everything else is braking and traction. The track is flat and wide, so the car's balance is easy to read. That makes it a good place to work on a setup.
A warning: the run off is painted tarmac, so it is easy to run wide and collect track limit warnings.
What the pro drivers say
Coach Dave Academy asked its pro drivers to rank the GT3 cars in April 2026. They do not name a specialist for Paul Ricard, but they put the Ford Mustang GT3 first everywhere, with the Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo and the McLaren 720S GT3 Evo behind it.
Full Grip's numbers agree: the Mustang is their reference car here too.
The best car for beginners at Paul Ricard
The Aston Martin V8 Vantage GT3. One of the three reference cars, in the base game and very stable on the brakes. Hard to beat that.
The Mustang is just as easy and just as quick. Pick whichever you like the feel of.
Sprint races and endurance races
Paul Ricard has long straights with a strong slipstream. In a sprint race top speed lets you pass into the Mistral chicane and into turn 1. All three reference cars have it.
In a long race the front left takes a beating in Signes and Beausset. And the Mustang's fuel use, about 10% above the others according to Coach Dave's drivers, shows on a lap with this much full throttle. For endurance I would lean to the Aston.
Track limits lose more races here than pace does. Count your warnings.
Pick the car you know
Three cars at the same weight means the choice is about feel. Drive all three for ten laps and keep the one that feels calm in Signes. If you are still choosing, I go through the whole class in the fastest GT3 cars in ACC and through the way I would decide in how to choose a car in ACC.
Racing somewhere else next? See the best cars at Misano and the best cars at the Hungaroring.
FAQ
What is the fastest car at Paul Ricard in ACC?
In Full Grip Motorsport's track by track BoP, read on 5 October 2026, the Ford Mustang GT3, the Aston Martin V8 Vantage GT3 and the Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 share the top spot, with the Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo next at -10 kg. That is league data built from hotlap pace, not an official ranking.
Is the Ford Mustang GT3 the best car at Paul Ricard?
Yes, in this data. It is one of the reference cars at Paul Ricard, and Coach Dave's pro drivers rate it the fastest GT3 car in the game overall. It is also a free update.
What is the best car for beginners at Paul Ricard?
The Aston Martin V8 Vantage GT3. It is one of the three reference cars, it is in the base game and it is very stable on the brakes. The free Ford Mustang GT3 is just as good a choice.
Is Signes flat in a GT3 car in ACC?
Close to it. In a stable car on a good setup you turn in with a small lift or none at all. If you need a real brake, add rear wing or raise the rear before you blame the car.
Why do front engine cars do well at Paul Ricard?
The lap is long straights, very fast corners and big braking zones. Front engine GT3 cars tend to be stable at high speed and under braking, and that is what Paul Ricard asks for.
Do I need DLC to race at Paul Ricard?
No. It is one of the eleven tracks of the base game.
Does the balance of performance change from track to track?
Yes. ACC uses a different balance for each circuit, which is why the fastest car is not the same everywhere. Leagues such as Full Grip Motorsport and Low Fuel Motorsport can run their own custom BoP on top of that.