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| Mazda RT24-P | |
|---|---|
| Name | Mazda RT24-P |
| Manufacturer | Mazda Motor Corporation |
| Production | 2017–2019 |
| Class | IMSA SportsCar Championship Prototype (DPi) |
| Body style | Open-cockpit prototype |
| Engine | Skyactiv-R 2.0 L turbocharged inline-4 (twin-turbo initially planned) |
| Debut | 2018 Rolex 24 at Daytona |
| Designer | Riley Technologies, Multimatic Motorsports, Mazda North America Operations |
| Chassis | Carbon fibre monocoque |
| Gearbox | 6-speed sequential |
| Team | SpeedSource (racing team), Mazda Team Joest, Multimatic Motorsports |
Mazda RT24-P is an open-cockpit Daytona Prototype international (DPi) sports prototype campaigned in the IMSA SportsCar Championship from 2018 to 2019. Developed by Mazda Motor Corporation in collaboration with Riley Technologies and later Multimatic Motorsports with factory support from Mazda North America Operations, the RT24-P sought to return Mazda to top-class prototype competition after the legacy of the Mazda 787B and later Mazda SKYACTIV initiatives. Its program involved partnerships with teams such as SpeedSource (racing team), Mazda Team Joest, and Multimatic Motorsports, and drivers drawn from feeder series including WeatherTech SportsCar Championship regulars and European Le Mans Series competitors.
The RT24-P program began under Mazda’s prototype ambition influenced by regulations from the Automobile Club de l'Ouest and International Motor Sport Association aimed at harmonizing prototype categories like LMP2 and DPi. Initial design responsibilities rested with Riley Technologies leveraging a carbon fiber monocoque derived from Daytona Prototype International norms, while engine development used Mazda’s Skyactiv-R architecture influenced by research from Mazda RX-Vision concept and engineering inputs from Mazda North America Operations. Later chassis update and aerodynamic refinement transferred to Multimatic Motorsports, who had prior collaborations with Ford Performance and Dallara on prototype programs. Project leadership engaged technical staff who had worked at Nissan NISMO, Audi Sport, and Toyota Gazoo Racing programs, integrating computational fluid dynamics from teams experienced at 24 Hours of Le Mans and Rolex 24 at Daytona competition.
The RT24-P featured a carbon fibre monocoque complying with FIA and IMSA safety standards, including HANS-compatible cockpit interfaces and energy-absorbing crash structures used by contemporary prototypes like Oreca 07 and Ligier JS P217. Powertrain centered on a small-displacement Skyactiv-R inline-four turbocharged unit developed by Mazda engineers and calibrated with partners previously engaged by Cosworth and Porsche. Transaxle and sequential gearbox components mirrored suppliers common to Endurance racing prototypes and were integrated with electronics from vendors who supply WEC participants. Suspension geometry incorporated double wishbones and pushrod actuated dampers akin to solutions from Ginetta and Rebellion Racing. Brake systems used carbon and steel options also utilized by IMSA SportsCar Championship competitors; tires were supplied under contracts similar to those between IMSA and manufacturers like Michelin (company) and Continental AG in other series.
Mazda entered the RT24-P at marquee events including the Rolex 24 at Daytona and the Petit Le Mans after homologation aligned with the IMSA Balance of Performance framework. Early seasons saw campaign management transitions from SpeedSource (racing team) to Mazda Team Joest, drawing on Joest Racing’s pedigree in victories at 24 Hours of Le Mans and Le Mans Series. Participation included rounds across iconic circuits such as Sebring International Raceway, Circuit of The Americas, Road Atlanta, and Watkins Glen International, competing against factory efforts from Cadillac (automobile) and customer teams fielding Acura ARX-05 prototypes and Nissan (racing) LMP entries under the broader IMSA field.
The RT24-P collected pole positions and podiums during its stint but struggled for consistent wins against rivals like Action Express Racing and Team Penske entries. Qualifying pace occasionally matched the front runners owing to aero developments overseen by Multimatic Motorsports, while race pace and stint consistency reflected complexities in turbocharged engine mapping reminiscent of challenges faced by Aston Martin Racing and Lola Cars programs historically. Data analysis compared telemetry against benchmark cars such as Oreca 07 Gibson entries and showed deficits in areas including tire degradation and fuel stint length relative to Mazda 787B endurance benchmarks.
Drivers rostered for RT24-P campaigns included competitors with backgrounds at IndyCar Series, Formula E, European Le Mans Series, and WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, bringing experience from organizations like Chip Ganassi Racing, Andretti Autosport, and G-Drive Racing. Team management included personnel seconded from Mazda North America Operations and from external contractors previously employed by Riley Technologies and Multimatic Motorsports, while race engineers had past tenures at Audi Sport Team Joest and Toyota Gazoo Racing UK.
Early reliability issues centered on turbocharger packaging, cooling systems, and hybrid integration trade-offs analogous to those addressed by Porsche (racing) during prototype development cycles. Upgrades implemented by Mazda Team Joest and later Multimatic Motorsports targeted aerodynamics, weight distribution, and engine calibration informed by wind tunnel programs at facilities similar to UK Motorsport and CFD providers used by Reynard Motorsport alumni. Parts commonality with suppliers servicing IMSA entrants aided mid-season interventions and spares logistics.
Although the RT24-P program was relatively brief, it influenced Mazda’s engineering direction toward production-powertrain technologies highlighted in Mazda SKYACTIV road cars and demonstrated collaboration models between manufacturers and specialist constructors like Riley Technologies and Multimatic Motorsports. The program also contributed to driver development pipelines feeding series such as IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and IMSA Prototype Challenge, and served as a case study in balancing small-displacement turbocharged powertrains against established prototype platforms like Dallara P217 and Oreca 07. Its lessons informed subsequent factory and customer prototype strategies observed across North American sports car racing and international endurance programs.
Category:Mazda racing cars