The third car in our On The Edge pack is not just a small step, but more like a giant leap forward for racing kind. Raceroom already features some epically fast racecars: our Formula X class showcases the pinnacle of modern single seater performance; the R18 TDI was the whisper-quiet but rocketship-quick LMP1 of its generation; and the VW ID.R proves that battery power is the quickest way to get to the top of a mountain. Our new addition to the prototype ranks sits up there with them: Mazda’s RT24-P DPi prototype is an absolute weapon – and a blast to drive.
There are few things that can beat the visceral thrill of a modern prototype. Whereas in a single-seater you’re lying down with your head poking out of a 200mph carbon fibre bathtub, in a prototype you’re enclosed in the tight confines of a cockpit, with the big fenders over the front wheels obscuring your lateral views and the sound of the engine reverberating around you – also at 200mph, but usually also racing against GT cars potentially going 50mph slower than you are. You have to drive with your senses in overdrive: you have to be at one with the machine. A prototype cockpit is a claustrophobic but exhilarating place to be.
IMSA forged ahead with its own set of North American prototype regulations back in 2017, sensibly taking a more modest approach based on LMP2 chassis clothed in manufacturer-backed bodykits – something that avoided the worst troughs of the WEC’s own search for its future technical platform. IMSA’s Daytona Prototype International rules set enjoyed an impressive and entertaining run right up to the introduction of the new Le Mans-aligned Hypercar spec in 2022: Mazda went up against Cadillac, Acura and (for a limited time) Nissan in five seasons of hard-fought races.
Mazda have a proud history in sportscar racing, with an almost constant presence in grassroots motorsport capped with occasional high level programmes. There’s the ubiquitous MX-5 (the latest version of which we released last December), but then they also deliver left-field haymakers, like the iconic, Le Mans-winning 787B or the racing RX-7s (whether touring car, pumped-up GTO or rally variants).
In tune with IMSA’s desire to make prototypes have more relevance to fans, the RT24-P incorporated Mazda’s KODO design philosophy – the ‘soul of motion’ – that took cues from its road cars. The aero levels it produces are enormous, empowered by the huge shovel of a front wing mounted under the nose, replete with multiple dive planes, sidepod profiling and rear wing.
Following a difficult first year after Mazda stepped up to DPi, they engaged the legendary Joest team (giants during the Group C era and stalwarts of Audi’s domination of LMP1 in the 2000s) to manage the race programme, and the car’s performance potential was truly unlocked. The RT24-P racked up seven wins and 25 podiums in its career, including prestigious wins at Daytona, Sebring and Road Atlanta.
Sure, this DPi doesn’t feature one of Mazda’s legendary rotary units, but it’s still a screamer. Powering this low-slung racer is a two-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine. As a statement that sounds relatively unimpressive: but this highly-tuned AER unit pushes out around 600hp, turning what sounds like something from a family saloon into a screaming monster.
The core Riley MkXXX chassis was developed by North American engineering specialists Multimatic, continuing a relationship with Mazda that had seen the two field a Lola-based prototype in the US. The resulting 930kg package is fast. Very, very fast. We will be releasing the car with plenty of liveries to make single-class races fun, but the best environment will be in proper multi class events: the RT24-P’s natural hunting ground. Expect this car to feature heavily in Ranked races in the coming months.
We’ve had great fun getting this cars ready for you, and we can’t wait to get them in your hands in a couple of days’ time. The On The Edge pack features a trio of very different performance machines that deliver a set of completely different driving experiences, further boosting the range we can offer you – and also laying foundations for more cars to add to under-represented classes. Watch this space!