Between Mazda and Joest, things smell scorched

During the summer of 2017, tired of the lack of performance of its former partner team SpeedSource, Mazda North America hired the services of Joest Racing, free of any commitment after Audi's adventure in LM P1 ended. At the same time, on the construction side, the RT24-P designed by the Riley-Multimatic joint venture was redesigned by the Canadian company dear to Larry Holt, Riley being excluded.

After a disappointing 2018 season, particularly due to the fragility of its engine block, Mazda Team Joest won three victories this year, helped by a completely redesigned 4-liter turbo AER 2.0-cylinder engine that has improved in reliability.

But the idyll should end next March at the end of the 12 Hours of Sebring (March 16), second round of theIMSA SportsCar Championship. At the end of the Floridian clock, the track operation of the two RT24-Ps should be completely entrusted to Multimatic. The understanding between the two entities would not always have been cordial, and with all due respect to Joest Racing for its past exploits, it is no longer a question of the German ogre having devoured everything in its path . Many good results have been shattered due to approximations and bad decisions.

Dans le même temps, Mazda Motorsport North America a officialisé l’identité du remplaçant de John Doonan au poste de directeur, ce dernier ayant succédé à Scott Atherton à la tête de l’IMSA. L’heureux élu a pour nom Nelson Cosgrove, ancien directeur du Toyota Racing Development.