Mazda Motorsport: homegrown hero

News Feature

Mazda is unique in the Australian automotive industry. Not for its growth rate -- though that has been impressive over the last few years. Not for its lucrative high private buyer share -- though that too is the envy of most of its competitors. And not for the fact the brand seems suddenly flavour of the month in media terms -- what with global unveiling of new engine technology, an all-new passenger car platform and at the upcoming Australian International Motor Show the sales debut of an all-new light commercial...

No, Mazda is unique in 2010 as the only local mainstream manufacturer or importer that has a proper fair-dinkum wholly-owned in-house motorsport department. Yep, the company that sells shopping trolleys by the shipload is arguably the last bastion of factory race competition Down Under.

We might be overstating the case just a touch for effect, but think about it: While a number of manufacturers roll in and out of local motorsport, few if any have long-term dedicated engineering and management personnel devoted to competition. Fewer still have had that commitment for the last three decades.

Circa 2010 Honda's Australian Rally Championship program is privateer-based; Toyota is virtually completely out of the motorsport loop Down Under and Mitsubishi farms out its hit and miss efforts. Subaru, which still actively trades off its rally heritage, is nowhere to be seen in local racing and despite its Rally Edition Swift special models Suzuki hasn't turned a wheel in anger Down Under since the days of the Swift GTI Cup way back when. MINI supports a privately promoted one-make series but the cars are developed and built in Germany. Hell, with the demise of Carrera Cup, even Porsche Australia is out of the racing business.

And before those Ford and Holden fans bombard us with emails, no, neither of the local V8 manufacturers runs an in-house raceshop. Blue and Red have motorsport managers that divvy up sponsorship dollars but the 'factory' race teams are at best only part-owned. Holden and Ford's involvement is almost cynical in the way it’s distanced when it suits (ie: when financial or green issues are raised) and reeled back in when a Bathurst win results.

Mazda is no late arrival to the motorsport arena. It's local 'factory' motorsport activity dates back to the early 1980s and have been consistent though not always high-profile. Then, as now, the support for its internal racing programs was very much homegrown. And it comes from the top down -- Mazda Australia boss Doug Dickson and predecessors like Malcolm Gough (who sanctioned the local development of Mazda's most famous specific motorsport model, the RX-7 SP) have consistently opined competition is a key part of the brand's DNA. They've continued to put their corporate dollars where their dentures are too.

The lynchpin around which Mazda's local motorsport infrastructure is built is Allan Horsley. First hired by Mazda to manage Allan Moffat Racing in 1981, the then racing promoter and engineer has been a stalwart of the brand ever since. Horsley now heads Mazda Motorsport which not only develops and builds the brand’s Targa racecars but also has provided some of Mazda's 'top motorshow drawcards under the 'Extreme' moniker.

Ever controversial and ever loyal to the brand, it has been Horsley who has masterminded Mazda's Australian touring car, endurance championship and, most recently, tarmac rallying performances. Many times he has gained an upper hand, if not psychologically but also often in real terms on the track, by his clever... errr, interpretation... of series and championships' rules and regulations. If ever there's been an Aussie equivalent of NASCAR rule-bending and making legend Smokey Yunich, it's Horsley.

His persona is now almost inseparable from the brand. Though approaching the time in life when retirement might seem an attractive option, 'H' is still very much the face of Mazda Motorsport. Any successor will have very big shoes to fill.

It was Allan who went to Malcolm Gough in early 1995 with the plan to build a locally upgraded special edition of the RX-7. Purpose built to win in production car endurance racing, the RX-7 SP did exactly that taking out that year's Bathurst 12 Hour. It was Mazda and Horsley's third successive win with RX-7s in the event.

It was Horsley too that decided Mazda's iconic MX-5 roadster needed a little more urge. The result was the now relatively rare (just over 100 were built) but much sought after Aussie-developed and built 2001 MX-5 SP. The most recent incarnations of Horsley's alchemy are fettled versions of Mazda's 3 MPS turbo hot hatch and scratch-built turbocharged RX-8s that reprise the SP badge.

These days Horsley has fulltime staff at Mazda's Sydney motorsport workshop but also draws on the expertise of Mazda's engineering, warranty and certification teams at head office in Mount Waverley, Melbourne. Though some specialist services are outsourced, it's Horsley's core in-house team that develops, builds and runs Mazda Motorsport's RX-8 SP and 3MPS tarmac rally cars.

Not surprisingly Horsley has strong views about the importance of involvement in motorsport -- both by Mazda and others.

"It disappoints me tremendously that brands like Toyota, Mitsubishi and Subaru are not out on the track with us," Horsley told the Carsales Network.

"Motorsport is an important part of our [Mazda's] brand values, but we aren't the only ones -- other brands have strong motorsport roots but they seem happy to ignore them. I don't think that does you any good with your supporters."

Though he clearly has some concerns, Horsley maintains that even if Mazda has no formal manufacturer teams to beat, the need for them to compete locally will not evaporate.

"Motorsport and motor racing is in Mazda's core. It is important that we stay involved -- even if we are the only true manufacturer presence. It shows our products off in the right light... It's a powerful message for us to have an RX-8 out there beating exotic brands and cars that cost three times as much."

Mazda Motorsport's focus of late has been tarmac rallying and will continue to be so for at least the next 12 months, says Horsley . The brand has confirmed it will compete in the newly constituted Australia Tarmac Championship. The 2010-11 series kicks off at the inaugural Targa High Country centered on the Victorian town of Mansfield and Mount Buller alpine village in November.

With underrated South Australian driver Steve Glenney and co-driver Bernie Webb in the cabin, Mazda Motorsport's RX-8 SP is looking to take outright honours. At least one Mazda Motorsport 3 MPS will head up Mazda's tilt at the now two-wheel drive only Showroom category. Check out our drives of these and other Mazda Motorsport racecars here .

Horsley's team has rebuilt Glenney's RX-8 SP since its crash at the 2010 Targa Tasmania and development continues. The construction of RX-8 SP car number seven (for an external customer) has commenced at Mazda Motorsport's workshop and a new car for Glenney is almost complete. That car could potentially debut at Targa High Country.

That's not to suggest the RX-8 SP will follow its 12 Hour-winning predecessor into Mazda showrooms as a limited production special. Mazda Motorsport will build you an RX-8 SP but for racing only. The price? Around $60,000 plus the donor car, depending on specification, says Allan.

As if to define Mazda Motorsport's domestic Australian raison d'être there's been little interest in terms of sales from overseas about the car, however.

"I'm sure Japan keeps an eye on what we're doing with it, but we've had no approaches from the factory," Horsley told the Carsales Network.

"In the USA Mazda has strong domestic racing activities, but they are allowed to use space frames -- so the car is not appropriate," he states.

According to Horsley production-based competition rather than the US-style hotrod is key for the future of attracting more manufacturers into Australian motorsport. And he points to rallying -- on tarmac and dirt -- rather than circuit racing as the place to initiate the change. But, he says it must be relevant to what the manufacturers sell and the majority of consumers drive and buy.

"There's no touring car championship any more -- it's become a two-horse race that's more about making money than racing. The Australian Rally Championship is a mess -- and that's essentially a two-horse race too," Horsley told the Carsales Network.

"Racing needs to be more relevant. The [racing] authorities need to draw a line in the sand and change things."

Horsley says a production-based four-cylinder two-wheel drive formula is the way forward for Australian motorsport. He's an advocate of turbocharging but says equivalency rules could easily level the field to allow turbocharged, naturally-aspirated and even turbodiesels to compete.

"Turbocharging is important. Consumers see turbocharging as efficient now via [engine] downsizing. It's also easy to control from a rulebook point of view."

Horsley says in racing terms forced induction also produces cheap, equitable horsepower.

"Every manufacturer can do it. To modify naturally aspirated engines would be prohibitively expensive," he says.

He says the new Australian formula and championship should be rally based, but states it doesn't need to follow overseas rules.

"Rallying is the right place to start. It takes the vehicles to the people. It also gives the widest opportunity for brands to compete -- circuit racing locks in a 'perfect' package too quickly and soon one brand will dominate," he opines.

Horsley suggests that Mazda would support such a series. He says other brands would too, but cautions he's had no recent formal discussions. He says his lobbying days are over.

"I've done that [lobbying] -- and I'm done with it... CAMS [Confederation of Australian Motorsport] needs to get serious about administering and developing the sport and not just playing with the status quo.

"If they [CAMS] drew a line in the sand and said the Australian Rally Championship was going to be three or four rounds -- here, here and here -- featuring two-wheel drive production-based cars only, of an agreed engine formula from 2012, we'd give it serious consideration and so would others.

"There's no reason why all-wheel drives couldn't still compete at state level, but the main game would be two-wheel drive. Front or rear, it doesn't matter... Everybody's got a car that would suit."

Horsley says that CAMS focus on grabbing cash from manufacturers to pay for television coverage for the current rally championship is mistake and chases away potential entrants before they've "even reached the table".

"They [CAMS] don't need to get in the middle of this... We spend a fortune with the television stations; Toyota spends a fortune, Nissan and Honda... Everybody. You work out; think about how we [the manufacturers] can make the TV happen."

In September 1981 Allan Moffat Racing and Peter Stuyvesant International joined forces to launch a new racing RX-7 with a peripheral port motor. The same month the Moffat RX-7 made its racing debut at the Hang Ten 400 at Sandown finishing fifth outright. Later in 1981 Moffat and co-driver Le Mans legend Derek Bell took on the James Hardie Bathurst 1000 and finished third outright. Soon after Bathurst, Moffat packed up his RX-7 and headed to Surfers paradise for Round 4 of the Australian Endurance Championship. The 1981 Surfers Paradise International Resort 300 was Moffat's first ever win in the RX-7.

Throughout 1982 Moffat dominated most rounds of the Australian Endurance Championship including the Sandown 400 and the Gold Coast 300 in Surfers Paradise. The season produced a Championship win for Moffat and the RX-7.

In 1983 Moffat and his RX-7 again took out several rounds of the Australian Endurance Championship including another win at Sandown and second at the James Hardie 1000 at Bathurst. But it was the year for Mazda-dealer Peter McLeod who, in his own RX-7 won the Australian Endurance Championship Drivers Award. Moffat was fourth overall in the championship.

Success continued in 1984 with Moffat taking out the Australian Endurance Championship and Mazda and the RX-7 winning the Australian Manufacturer's Championship for the third consecutive year.

In 1985 Allan Horsley took Allan Moffat, Peter McLeod, Kevin Bartlett and Gregg Hansford to the 24 Hours of Daytona. The Aussie team's RX-7 was putting in a class-leading performance and running an incredible 10 outright when DNF'd near the end of the race.

In 1987 Mazda's first locally developed 'special vehicle' for sale. Developed by Horsley, the Mazda 929 MX-Turbo was sold only in New South Wales.

In 1988 the Mazda-supported Mazda 323 4WD Turbo won the Australian Rally Championship with Murray Coote and co-driver, Iain Stewart. Stewart would go on to co-drive for Mazda again in 2008 with Alister McRae in a Mazda3 MPS. Meanwhile, suspension guru Coote has since been responsible for underpinning several of Mazda Australia's racecars.

In 1992 Mazda Australia entered its two brand-new RX-7 turbos in the James Hardie 12 Hour endurance race at Bathurst. Despite very limited testing and major teething problems with brake changes, Mazda Motorsport brought the RX-7 of Garry Waldon, Charlie O'Brien and Mark Gibbs home in first.

In 1993 it was back to Bathurst with a new sponsorship deal with BP. The event was again won by a Mazda Motorsport RX-7 -- this time driven by Garry Waldon and F1 champs, Alan Jones. The second Mazda Motorsport Mazda RX-7 of Charlie O'Brien and Gregg Hansford finished second.

Mazda was eager to claim a 12 Hour hat trick in 1994 and did with the RX-7 of Gregg Hansford and Neil Crompton. A potential one-two was stymied by a blown turbo on the RX-7 of Mark Skaife and Garry Waldon.

In early 1995, Horsley proposed and developed Mazda Motorsport's most (in)famous car, the RX-7 SP. Priced at over $100,000 35 units were built to take on the likes of Porsche 911 RSCS and BMW's M3R. In that same year the SP took on the 12 Hour (now at eastern Creek) in new MMM livery and won.

2001 saw the motorsport debut of the MX-5 SP at Targa Tasmania -- driven by Murray Coote and co-driven by Anthony McLoughlin.

2006 saw the world motorsport debut of the all-wheel-drive Mazda6 MPS at Targa Tasmania. With journalist Dean Evans at the wheel, the new MPS secured a class win.

2007 saw the Targa Tasmania debut of the front-wheel drive Mazda3 MPS. Since then the hot-hatch has gone on to win its Targa class four times, achieving two top ten outright finishes along the way.

2009 saw the rally debut of the Mazda RX-8 SP at Targa Tasmania.

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