Media Information
For immediate release
3 October 2005
FIA MAKES IT OFFICIAL:
MAZDA RX-8 HOLDS 40 INTERNATIONAL SPEED RECORDS
The FIA (Federation Internationale de l’Automobile) has announced that Mazda RX-8’s attempt to set 40 international speed and endurance records at Papenburg, Germany last October has been confirmed. These records can now be added to the list of 37 Mazda RX‑8 international vehicle awards and nine RENESIS rotary engine accolades that include four International Engine of the Year awards in 2003 and 2004.
The records were set during a 24-hour period on the 12.3 km oval at the automotive proving grounds in Papenburg with two 231ps Mazda RX-8s. 20 records were set in the FIA Category A (Special Vehicles) and 20 in the FIA Category B (Mass Production Vehicles). The two sports cars covered more than 5,000 km during the attempt and were driven by 15 automotive journalists from 11 countries (see attachment) including Formula Woman Champion Natasha Firman and UK media drivers John Griffiths and Chris Harris.
The attempt was made under the watchful eyes of the German Motor Sports Organisation DMSB e.V., which ensured all mandatory FIA regulations were adhered to during the attempt. This included selecting at random three production Mazda RX-8s in Antwerp, Belgium and sealing their engines and transmissions on-site for the Category B attempt vehicle. The Mazda RX-8 used in the record attempt in Category A was a model used in the 2004 Formula Woman Championship in the UK.
Mazda RX-8’s record performance is the latest in a long Mazda tradition of 24-hour endurance races and further proof of how Mazda continues to build upon this tradition by delivering Zoom-Zoom driving fun in all its production vehicles. The two Mazda RX-8s with 231ps RENESIS rotary engines averaged 212.835 and 215.934 km/h respectively over the 24-hour endurance trial. Both shattered a record previously held by the Mazda 787B race car with a 700ps rotary engine that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans averaging 205.133 km/h in 1991.
40 international FIA records make it official â€" Mazda RX-8’s unique RENESIS rotary engine delivers truly exciting sports car performance and combines this with durability and reliability even under extreme driving conditions. More information about the records can be found at the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile website: //www.fia.com.
In the UK, the Mazda RX-8 has continued to prove its endurance capabilities with 100 per cent finishes in the eight races so far in the S1 Production Series Britcars season, including the inaugural 24-hour, 1,500 mile endurance race at Silverstone last month when three race-prepared Mazda RX-8s completed the whole race.
Race fans can see the Mazda RX-8 endurance race on Saturday 5 November at Donington Park. For more information visit //www.eerc.co.uk.
Ends..
Full driver list and FIA official results listings follow
Drivers
Journalist
Country
Media
Claus Hammel
Austria
Kurier - Motorredaktion
Thierry Etienne
France
Le Figaro
Michael Podlogar
Germany
N-TV Motor
Kurt Lotz
Germany
SAT 1
Thrasyvoulos Temberidis
Greece
4 Wheels
Thomas Papapaschos
Greece
EVO
Giorgio Ursicino
Italy
Leggo
Paul van Splunkeren
Netherlands
Auto Visie
António Simones
Portugal
Freelance
Mikhail I. Podorozhansky
Russia
Auto Review
Luis Ezcurra
Spain
Marca Motor
Stefan Luescher
Switzerland
Auto Illustrierte
John Griffiths
UK
Financial Times
Chris Harris
UK
Auto Car
Formula Woman Racer
Natasha Firman
UK
Formula Woman Champion
Formula Woman Mazda RX-8
Category A â€" Special Vehicles
Group VI â€" Rotary Engine Powered Vehicles Without Turbo Charging
Record Distance km/h miles/h
1.
1 km FS*
232.280
144.332
2.
1 Mile FS
232.228
144.300
3.
1/8 Mile SS**
70.735
43.953
4.
1/4 Mile SS
92.508
57.482
5.
1/2 mile SS
102.441
63.654
6.
1 km SS
129.577
80.515
7.
1 Mile SS
149.727
93.036
8.
10 km SS
209.655
130.274
9
10 Miles SS
215.472
133.888
10.
100 km SS
225.831
140.325
11.
100 Miles SS
224.626
139.576
12.
500 km SS
212.111
131.800
13.
500 Miles SS
207.684
129.049
14.
1000 km SS
203.837
126.658
15.
1000 Miles SS
208.243
129.396
16.
5000 km SS
212.829
132.246
17.
1h SS
225.458
140.093
18.
6h SS
204.644
127.160
19.
12h SS
213.545
132.691
20.
24h SS
212.835
132.250
* FS: Flying start
**SS: Standing start
Mazda RX-8 Production Vehicle
Category B â€" Production Vehicle
Group VI â€" Rotary Engine Vehicle Without Turbo Charging
Record Distance km/h Miles/h
1.
1 km FS*
234.971
146.004
2.
1 mile FS
231.736
143.994
3.
1/8 mile SS**
70.449
43.775
4.
1/4 mile SS
92.442
57.441
5.
1/2 mile SS
100.778
62.621
6.
1 km SS
127.555
79.259
7.
1 mile SS
147.757
91.812
8.
10 km SS
209.740
130.326
9
10 miles SS
217.083
134.889
10.
100 km SS
227.467
141.341
11.
100 miles SS
216.016
134.226
12.
500 km SS
219.774
136.561
13.
500 miles SS
218.027
135.476
14.
1000 km SS
218.436
135.730
15.
1000 miles SS
216.927
134.792
16.
5000 km SS
216.012
134.224
17.
1h SS
219.991
136.696
18.
6h SS
217.748
135.302
19.
12h SS
216.446
134.493
20.
24h SS
215.934
134.175
* FS: Flying start
**SS: Standing start
very good news, :god
there just goin on and on with these records,well y not