Mazda Reveals 2020 Mazda 3 TCR Racer

[twitcher]

Got to say I'm disappointed, it reminds me of the Top Run Subaru as in the aero and details don't look on the same level as the competition. I wonder if this is a show car and a more detailed finalised design will show up on track.

Also just an FYI, TCR's aren't all 2.0 litre, the Peugeots are 1.6, the first gen of the Alfa was 1.7 (uses the Giulia engine now) and possibly the Renault isn't 2.0.

I think it looks less detailed than some of the others because they went for the seamless widebody look instead of the bolt-on box fender look that so many of the others have. Not sure what other details it’s missing that the others have though.

Kelly Racing, that run their Subarus, had to park them due to lack of parts from Top Run. Andre Heimgartner got that Subaru hooked up. Was pretty quick at fast & twisty tracks, until it broke.

Dang, that’s super lame. Ever since the Sooby made its first appearance in Singapore back in ‘15 or ‘16, I’ve really wanted to see the program take off, as it’s a really good looking car (and I’m a bit partial to Scoobs ). Disappointing to hear it’s over a lack of parts, especially since they actually managed to finally get the car hooked up like you said.

...and I'm afraid this was not the only one, and was not the last one. But it's a long story and not just sad, but slightly offtopic.

Like when the 5.0L monsters from Porsche and Ferrari were banned at Le Mans, and then a 3.0L Matra dominated for the next few years? Or like when Group C got dismantled, and a Peugeot 908 dominated at Le Mans in the following years? Nope, no patterns, nothing to see here

Any word on which US series this is likely to end up at? Michelin Challenge or the ex-World Challenge series (isn't it an SRO thing now?)

I would guess both.

And yes, the World Challenge series is now run by SRO. The GT3, GT4, and TCR categories all use SRO BoP and regs.

 

[Clean Racer]

IMSA official introduction:

 

[05XR8]

I think it looks less detailed than some of the others because they went for the seamless widebody look instead of the bolt-on box fender look that so many of the others have. Not sure what other details it’s missing that the others have though.


Dang, that’s super lame. Ever since the Sooby made its first appearance in Singapore back in ‘15 or ‘16, I’ve really wanted to see the program take off, as it’s a really good looking car (and I’m a bit partial to Scoobs ). Disappointing to hear it’s over a lack of parts, especially since they actually managed to finally get the car hooked up like you said.



Like when the 5.0L monsters from Porsche and Ferrari were banned at Le Mans, and then a 3.0L Matra dominated for the next few years? Or like when Group C got dismantled, and a Peugeot 908 dominated at Le Mans in the following years? Nope, no patterns, nothing to see here


I would guess both.

And yes, the World Challenge series is now run by SRO. The GT3, GT4, and TCR categories all use SRO BoP and regs.

Yeah, KR were hoping to get more parts homologated before 2020 as they had been granted, by TCR Australia/CAMS, weight reduction. KR needed more time to figure out where they could trim the weight.

One of the good and bad things about TCR is, the Subarus were snapping drive shafts. The race at Winton, they were able to take a drive shaft from one of the driver's WRX road car and easy fit to the race car. Sad, but true.

Anyway, In looking forward to this. Other than Mazsaspeed 3s having raced at Mount Panorama in the 12H, the new TCR will have a chance to race at the mountain next year, in December.

The Australian team rumoured to race them, hasn't been disclosed yet.

 

[TamasToth]

Nope, no patterns, nothing to see here

just to go on without the patterns, here we have that Link&Co, which seems like a factory program (on papers it's not, that should be cheating ) and it was developed and being run by a frenchman, who spend the development time racing the top competitor's car, learning every nuts and bolts, having the reference in their garage... Lovely, symphatetic guy on- and off-track

 

[Schmiggz]

My goodness, what a beauty

 

[TheElbows]

As a general fan of Mazda and Doonan/crew...I do hope this is the least drama-laden Mazda effort. Having followed them since Bomarito in the old RX-8, etc...it'd be nice to see a car that is properly effective right out of the box. More Miata than prototype I hope!