Mazda's Racing Heritage
1960's
1968: To prove the rotary engine, Mazda enters the 84-hour "Marathon de la Route" with their purpose-build Cosmo Sport 110, with the world's first multi-rotor power plant, designated the 10A. A Cosmo Sport took 4th place during the event, just behind two Porsches and a Lancia, proving the rotary as race-ready.
1969: Mazda finishes first with the 10A-powered Familia Rotary Coupe R-100 in the Grand Prix of Singapore, and fifth and sixth in the 24-hour Spa-Francorchamps behind four Porsche 911s.
1970's
1970: The Mazda Familia Rotary Coupe earns the nickname "Small Giant" in an impressive 18-hour battle with a BMW2800CS during the 24-hour Spa-Francorchamps Race. The rotary Mazda held pole-position until it broke an axle. A Belgian team installs the Mazda 10A in their Le Mans racecar.
1971: The Savanna RX-3 is introduced, and immediately takes the trophy in the Fuji 500-mile Tourist Trophy Race, ending the Skyline GT-R's dreams of 50-consecutive wins.
1972 - 1976: Mazda upgrades the Savanna RX-3 with a new 12A engine. The new RX-3 dominates the Japanese Grand Prix - a habit that eventually turns to 100 wins by 1976.
1973 - 1974: Le Mans teams begin to use the 12A.
1979: A private American team takes 21st in the Le Mans with a Savanna RX-7 - the first successful Le Mans classification for a rotary-engined contestant.
1979 - 1990: The first-generation Savanna RX-7 is introduced, winning the GTU class in the IMSA Series, and taking fifth in the Daytona 24-hour Race. The IMSA victories continued until 1987. Mazda took the manufacturer's titles during 1989 and 1990. Overall, Mazda had an unprecedented IMSA racing decade with 100 wins.
1980's
1981: Mazda's RX-7 wins with more than a two-lap margin ahead of the BMW530i during the grueling Spa-Francorchamps 24-hour Endurance Race. The RX-7 earns Championship titles in the IMSA series, the SCCA Pro-rally Series, the British Saloon Car Championship, and the Belgian Touring Car Championship.
1982: A Mazda 254, a heavily modified RX-7, takes 14th in the Le Mans.
1983: Mazda enters the 13B rotary engine into the Le Mans in their 717C sports car, winning the Group C2 category, and taking 12th overall.
Mazda T616
1984: Four out of four rotary entrants finish and classify in the Le Mans. The entrants were two Mazda 727Cs, finishing fourth and sixth in class, and two Mazda T616s, finishing first and third-in class.
1985: Mazda 737Cs take third and sixth in class during the Le Mans.
1986 - 1987: Initially called the 13G, Mazda creates the 3-rotor 20B engine for the new 757. In 1987, a 757 secures seventh place in the Le Mans - the new best overall position for a Japanese manufacturer.
1988: Mazda creates the Type 13J-M quad-rotor engine for two Mazda 767 Le Mans entries.
1989: Mazda begins "Operation Rollback" and takes seventh place with a Type 13J-M powered 767B, covering 4,980km - the longest distance of any Japanese manufacturer to that date.
1990's
1990: The Mazda 787, with a new R26B quad-rotor engine, enters the Le Mans.
Mazda 787B
The Le Mans Win: 1991: Mazda secures the overall 24-heures du Mans win. Three hours before the checkered flag, the number 55 Mazda 787B overtook the Mercedes - the defending champion. The 13-year dream became a reality for Mazda and the rotary engine. Mazda also begins the Star Mazda Series - an open-wheel formula series using Mazda's rotary engines.
1992 - 1994: The Efini RX-7 wins the Australian Bathurst 12-hour Endurance Race, overtaking the famous rivals of Porsche 968, Honda NSX and Nissan Skyline GT-R. The RX-7 dominated for three consecutive years.