IMSA: Mazda first to reveal 2017 DPi entry

Mazda became the first Daytona Prototype international manufacturer to unveil its 2017 entry at the L.A. Auto Show on Wednesday.

The new Mazda "RT24-P" (Road To 24-Prototype) model also carries the dreams of all those within the company determined to become the first champion of the DPi era once the Rolex 24 at Daytona gets underway on Jan. 28.

"This unveil at the L.A. Auto Show is a huge moment for Mazda Motorsports and our entire Mazda family," said Mazda racing boss John Doonan. "To have a racecar which features Mazda design language at the top level of our motorsports program is so meaningful for us as a brand. It is a direct storytelling opportunity as soon as the car hits the track.

"When I was a young boy, I used to attend the Chicago Auto Show with my father. My biggest concern was what the different car makers [were] doing in racing, [and] the true link [to road cars] comes out on days like today. When we, as a brand, can directly explain what we are all about and why our racing efforts matter to a broader audience is when the true magic happens."

Built by Multimatic/Riley, the RT24-P features the familiar turbocharged four-cylinder MZ-2.0T powerplant found in the previous Mazda Prototype. The angrier DPi engine has received a hike to 600 horsepower to start the season, and manufacturers have been told an increase to almost 650 hp could be coming if deemed necessary by IMSA.

The rest of the RT24-P, which is built around the base Multimatic/Riley Mk 30 LMP2 chassis, is unique to Mazda. The most notable DPi element, which conforms to the brand's "KODO Design" ethos and can be found in its 2017 production models, is the road-car inspired Mazda grille and badge styling at the front of the vehicle. The rest of the bodywork is said to be a mild departure from the stock Mk 30.

In addition to the racing-related aerodynamics that generate more downforce and less drag than pre-2017 LMP2s, the RT24-P has also benefitted from the branding and conceptual expertise found within Mazda.

"To have the Mazda Design offices in Japan and North America lead the [bodywork] design of this racecar is exactly what Mazda is all about ... a 'never stop challenging' spirit," Doonan said. "While the designers have clearly defined how our brand and our vehicles looks in the marketplace, they simultaneously had to learn about what does and does not make a competitive advantage in the wind tunnel and on the race track. In the end, there were a bunch of high-fives in the design offices when the beauty of Mazda's KODO Design language also spelled positive efficiency results in the wind tunnel."

With its pronounced splitter and heavy reliance on flowing air beneath the nose, below the car, and out through the exits behind the front wheels, the RT24-P presents a slipperier shape than the Lola-based P2 it has replaced. Simulations have shown the 2017 models are capable of 215-218 mph on the long straight leading to the start/finish line at Daytona, and while the series is expected to pare top speeds down to the 200 mph range, it's encouraging to know the cars that will replace the blended DPs and P2s that ran from 2014-'16 have made such a significant leap in overall performance.

Behind the scenes, all of the major players from Mazda's existing IMSA Prototype effort have been carried forward with the RT24-P program.

"We have good, long-standing relationships with Riley and Multimatic, and have been happy to be the first to test their chassis, and then make a race debut at Daytona with Mazda bodywork and the Mazda MZ-2.0T engine," Doonan said. "Riley, Multimatic, AER, and SpeedSource have all been huge parts of successes in our racing efforts over the years. To bring all of these companies and their talents together is, we believe, the key set of ingredients in reaching the top step of the podium."

Mazda veterans Joel Miller, Tom Long, Jonathan Bomarito and Tristan Nunez will continue to lead the driver rotation in the pair of RT24-Ps, and the additional pilots for the Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup will be confirmed in a future announcement.

"Heading into 2017, we believe we have the right team, the right drivers and the right chassis and engine package to win races and championships in IMSA," Doonan added. "Our driver line-up is a direct reflection of our investment in the driver development scholarship programs: The Mazda Road to Indy and the Mazda Road to 24. We are so proud that we have been able to offer these unique programs to the industry and to young drivers around the world and, in the case of our Prototype effort, promote the cream-of-the-crop from within. Nothing like the Mazda Road to Indy or the Mazda Road to 24 scholarship programs exists anywhere in the world. We have proven the system works and we want to cap it off with big race wins and a Championship."

Florida's SpeedSource Race Engineering, which has run the Mazda Prototype effort since its debut with diesel power in 2014, is tasked with turning the entire RT24-P package into a winning combination.

"To be there from the beginning with Mazda and what it wanted to do with a KODO Design philosophy in prototype form was extremely satisfying," SpeedSource owner Sylvain Tremblay told RACER. "We've been able to take the best of the best with the partners who've shaped the RT24-P into what it is: Multimatic has been integral and the Mazda Design office have created aerodynamics that look wonderful and also perform; to continue with Riley, who we've won championships with and known since 2003, is perfect, and to tie all of the groups together to make this car has been so rewarding."

In a nod to its parent company, one of the newly retired 2016 Mazda Prototypes is on its way from SpeedSource to the brand's headquarters in Japan at the same time the team is preparing to conduct a series of tests with the RT24-P at Daytona.

"One car is going off to Okayama and the new cars are going to be busy here after the auto show," Tremblay said. "Everyone is really impressed with the efficiency of the new car and how quickly it moves, including the jump in downforce, which is substantial from anything we had with the [last] P2s and DPs that we can use if needed. You have the increase in power, the new tires from Continental that are specifically made for the DPi, and it all comes together in a car that's stuck to the ground. I have a feeling fans area really going to like the new direction for this class."

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