Tag Archives: Gachot

The Jaguar Judd – Mazda MX-R01

With the mandating of 3.5 litre / 213.5 cui piston engines for the 1992 World Sports Car Championship Mazda were left with no choice but to abandon their rotary powered 787B which won the 1991 Le Mans 24 Hours.

Mazda MX-R01, Le Mans

With insufficient funds to develop a new motor and or chassis they bravely decided not to abandon sports car racing altogether and elected instead to buy a suitable V10 from Judd Engine Developments and modify chassis bought from Tom Walkinshaw Racing that had been designed by Ross Brawn and run the previous year as the 1991 Championship wining Jaguar XJR14 with a Jaguar badged Ford HB V8.

Mazda MX-R01, Le Mans

Five Mazda MV10 powered Mazda MX-R01’s were built; chassis #001 was used exclusively in the Japanese Sports Car Series, #002 was a spare test car taken to Le Mans, #003 was another spare test car taken to Le Mans, today’s featured #004 raced in the whole 1992 World Sports Car Championship and #005 was only raced at Le Mans.

Mazda MX-R01, Le Mans

The MX-R01 made it’s debut in the 1992 Japanese Sports Car series at Suzuka where Youjirou Terada and Takashi Yorino drove chassis #001 to finish 7th from 8th on the grid in the 500 km race. Volker Weidler and Brazilian Maurizio Sandro Sala then drove #004 on it’s European debut at Monza where they retired with engine failure after starting from 7th on the grid.

Mazda MX-R01, Volker Weidler (D)/Johnny Herbert (GB)/Bertrand Gachot (B)/Maurizio Sandro Sala, Le Mans

For the Fuji 1000 kms Youjirou Terada, Takashi Yorino and Maurizio Sandro Sala qualified #001 8th but also retired with engine failure, before #004 scored the teams best result of the season in the BRDC Empire Trophy at Silverstone where Maurizio Sandro Sala and Johnny Herbert finished second from 7th on the grid.

Mazda MX-R01, Volker Weidler (D)/Johnny Herbert (GB)/Bertrand Gachot (B)/Maurizio Sandro Sala, Le Mans

Chassis #005 driven by Maurizio Sandro Sala, Takashi Yorino and Yojiro Terada qualified 10th at Le Mans, but retired with accident damage after 124 laps which allowed Sala to join Volker Weidler, Johnny Herbert and Bertrand Gachot in chassis #004 that started 7th on the grid and finished 4th, 16 laps down on the winning Peugeot, having lead itself briefly led during the opening hours of the race.

Mazda MX-R01, Volker Weidler (D)/Johnny Herbert (GB)/Bertrand Gachot (B)/Maurizio Sandro Sala, Le Mans

Over the remaining World Sports Car Championship season #004 finished 5th at Donington and 6th at Magny Cours with Sala and Alex Caffi at the wheel, posting a retirement with gearbox failure at Suzuka when Takashi joined Maurizio and Alex in the cockpit.

In the Japanese series Takashi Yorino and Youjirou Terada finished a season high 7th in the Fuji 1000kms, Mazda finished 3rd in the final 1992 World Sportscar Championship standings and 2nd in the final 1992 All Japan Sports Prototype Championship standings.

Mazda withdrew from sportscar racing at the end of the 1992 season and the World Sportscar Championship was cancelled in 1993 with only Peugeot willing to compete in the series.

Thanks for joining me on this “The Jaguar Judd” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at this years Le Mans LMP2 winner. Don’t forget to come back now.

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ECU Controlled Telescopic Intake Runners – Mazda 787B #002

The news from Mazdaspeed in 1990 was that they had further developed their 4 rotor wankel to include stepped variable telescopic intake runners and three spark plugs per rotor so that their motors could produce a peak 900 hp or 700hp in race configuration.

Mazda 787B, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

To cope with the new demands of the more powerful motor Nigel Stroud designed the 787 chassis which most obviously differed from it’s 757 and 767 predecessors by having more forward weight distribution with front mounted radiator with vents in front of the windscreen replacing the previous side mounted radiators.

Mazda 787B, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

Two 787’s were built for the 1990 season, both cars retired from the 1990 Le Mans race and the best result for the 787 was recorded in 1991 at the Nurburgring where Maurizio Sandro Sala and David Kennedy finished 5th from 14th on the grid.

Mazda 787B, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

For 1991 the four rotor wankels were further upgraded with ECU controlled continuously variable telescopic intake runners which optimised engine power and torque at varying rpm.

Mazda 787B, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

Three new 787B chassis were built for the 1991 season and the two existing 787’s were fitted with the continuously variable intake motors.

Mazda 787B, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

The 787B’s proved far more reliable than the 787 predecessor clocking up two 6th place finishes at Suzuka and Fuji before two 787B’s were sent to Le Mans.

Mazda 787B, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

Unlike the old turbocharged Group C cars which had to run a 1000kg weight limit the IMSA GTP spec Mazda was allowed to run at 830 kgs.

Mazda 787B, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

As a consequence the #55 787B chassis #002 featured today driven by Johnny Herbert, Volker Weidler and Bertrand Gachot which started only 19th on the grid, 12th fastest qualifier, came through to score the first Le Mans win for a car powered by a non reciprocating engine and the first and so far only Le Mans win for a Japanese manufacturer after all the faster, but heavier Group C turbo cars had wilted.

Thanks for joining me on this “ECU Controlled Telescopic Intake Runners” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at a French Le Mans challenger. Don’t forget to come back now !

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