Mazda back to LeMans?
 

Anyone else see this?

Last week's Autoweek ran a brief clip that basically said Mazda was looking at returning to professional roadracing with a full factory effort. Autoweek basically left the class that Mazda intended to enter in the air.

During this weekend's broadcast of the ALMS weekend at Mosport the announcers said that it was finally official that Mazda would re-enter with a factory backed P2 effort with the intentions of moving up to P1 at some later date. The rotary was not specifically mentioned as the motor of choice but it would seem to be a natural selection. This would certainly include a return to LeMans!

The best part was the announcer saying that his ears were still ringing from the Mazda cars of the mid-late 80's. :D

that would be really good news. I loved the 787's ohh god rotaries at 190+mph, its a sweet noise

Hopefully someone will buy Jim Downing's Mazda Kudzu P2, get it back in action, *and* Mazda backs a two car team. Then of course there's the rules not favouring the rotary power plant . . . . but nonetheless it would be great to see a rotary back on the AMLS circuit full season.

Yeah, I heard the same announcement... Good news for everyone involved. Just stay out of my GT-S class, beotch. :D

Nothing can catch those vettes. That Lamborgini was a mobile chicane @ Sears Point last month.

Yeah, those Vettes kicked the shit out of everyone at Mid-Ohio too :(

completely different vettes from series to series. the ALMS vette's are amazing. Pratt and miller is one of the best teams out there and definately one of the elite in terms of sports car engineering.

I didn't see the results from the rolex race this weekend but when i was up by madness the PTG cars were absolutely dominating their class.

Before everyone blows their wad Mazda is not intending to go racing with the rotary, they plan to develop cars for the sedan classes.

For ALMS P2? Not quite.

They're not going to enter P2. No way in hell Mazda is going to spend the time and money right now to develop a competitive chassis and engine for that class.

ALMS currently has LMP1, LMP2, GTS and GT. They plan to add a new sedan class next season similar to the Speed Touring Cars in which Mazda will continue to run the RX-8...

I believe there is also discussion within ALMS of combining the LMP1 and LMP2 classes due to poor participation in both. They would regulate the cars with weight and inlet restrictors.

After Mazda won the '91 LeMans with the rotary, the rules makers started restricting the rotaries so bad that they couldn't breathe. I doubt that the rules makers are going to cut Mazda some slack now.

Anyone have an official press release from MAZDA on this?

You'd be suprised.... Looks what they've let the CTS-V cars do....

From autoweek. Looks like rotary is a possibility.

Is Mazda back?

Mazda is evaluating an attack on the American Le Mans Series with a full factory program, and it could begin as early as next year.

Mazda U.S.A. has looked to join the sports car series for some time. Company executives are in ongoing discussions with ALMS bosses and have already met with two organizations capable of masterminding its return after a 13-year absence. Mazda senior vice president of marketing Robert Davis said, "We have had an involvement with the ALMS through the Star Mazda Series [a single-seater support class], and now we would like to take part in the main event. If you look at what Mazda represents in North America, it is sports cars and that fits with the profile of the ALMS."

Davis said that the decision on which class Mazda might enter hasn’t been made yet.

Sources say Mazda is looking at the prototype division, though the possibility of a new ALMS class for four-door cars (see Flash) would allow it to run the rotary-powered RX-8.

Mazda’s prospective entry into the ALMS has been welcomed by series boss Scott Atherton at a time when the Pratt & Miller-run Chevrolet Corvette is the only factory team on the grid.

"There’s no question that they would be a boost to the ALMS," he said. "We already refer to them as a partner because of the Star Mazda series, but it would be great to have them in the ALMS."

since the rotary was banned in the 24 hours of lemans, does that exemt the motor from the alms as well?

LeMans has it's own sanctioning body; LeMans plays by it's own rules. Sort of like the Indy 500 over the years.

running a RX-8 in the new 4-door class would be a good starting point for Mazda

maybe even win a few with just the RENESIS engine ;)

I don't think their sanctioning body banned the rotary engine from the LeMans. They just banned the variable intake runners associated with the R26B. Besides, Mazda never saw true greatness down the Mulsanne after 1991. As good as the 792P was on paper, the other car companies caught up and overthrew Mazda's one year of glory. Nevertheless, a victory is a victory, and I am proud to own part of Mazda's heritage. :)

I wouldn't worry about the ALMS. Mazda is already starting to win various races on the grassroots level, like the Grand-Am Cup series (SpeedSource Inc.'s RX-8 won at the Phoenix Sport Touring 200, in April). I would be interested if Mazda pulled out all stops and campaigned an RX-8 to compete against the Porsche Class (GT Class in the ALMS). I believe the only thing stopping them is the four-door issue. I am sure the LeMans can change that.

Actually it would be the Renesis horsepower issue :D The Renesis is no match for the Porsche flat 6; they'd have to practically cripple the Porsche for the Renesis to compete.

I agree with DamonB. The Renesis would need forced induction to be competitive in AMLS GT which I doubt they would allow.

Actually, Rx8 would be a great fit for Speed World Challenge Touring where the Protege is making 250fwhp and BMW's some more but SCCA bumped it up to Speed GT allowing supercharger. Did anyone ever supercharge a Renesis yet for Speed GT?

Nope. In fact, I haven't seen any company come out with forced induction. It seems like it's all starting to turn into vaporware. :(

Sorry. I meant, I don't think the GT Class in ALMS supports 4-door cars. Yes, the 13B-MSP's power is girly-weak compared to the Porsche's turbocharged flat-sixes. I say get a RENESIS, p-port the bitch, turbocharge it, and watch in burn up the track! :D

Plenty of the Porsches are NOT turbocharged and they would still run away from a Renesis powered car. If you let a Renesis go p-port you'd have to let the other guys do anything they wish to their heads.

porsche doens't need to be turbo to be fast. the gt-3 is case and point. however the turbo performance center 996's (not 996 gt3's) are supercharged and are kicking ass in their class.

Additionally the speedsource team is NOT mazda factory backed. They're doing fairly well but it's easy to podium with 5 cars. There are a LOT of rx-8's in the Grand am cup so it shouldn't shock or amaze when one podium's. nevertheless it's an acomplishment.

Back to competeing with the porsche's... we'll leave that to the new 1.5l rx-7

Mazda entering the Prototype class makes more sense than anything else. The P1 and P2 class is all dried up. Audi, Dyson, Audi and Dyson. Don't get me wrong it's fun to watch but it's just like Ferrari's dominance in F1. The fans and now ALMS want to see more. Why not consider Mazda with all it's racing history, unique RE and naming rights on one of the premier tracks in the world. Though I would love to see Mazda run the GTS class but coming to a happy medium between the established and new booty will prove difficult. There are top makes going through growing pains like Panoz, Lambo and Saleen(but starting to challenge). Maybe run a NA PP 3-Rotor in GT.. I don't know but it's fun to think about. I don't see anything truly productive and concrete till the 2006 season at the earliest.