Grand prix Mazda motorsport launches new car for 2011 season

[240MPS]

Grand Prix Mazda Motorsport has unveiled the new Mazda3 MPS race car that will be driven by Jake Camilleri as he stakes his claim on the 2011 Australian Manufacturers Championship.
Replacing the previous generation Mazda3 MPS that Camilleri drove to Class C victory in last year’s Australian Manufacturers Championship, the new-generation Mazda3 MPS is expected to further strengthen Grand Prix Mazda Motorsport’s 2011 campaign.
Significant upgrades to the fuel system, suspension and brakes have taken performance to a new level and the Grand Prix team are now looking forward to seeing how the improved package stacks up against the competition.
The team’s first chance to shine will be the round one of this year’s championship to be held at Philip Island on 16 and 17 April.
Jake Camilleri is looking forward to the season ahead and is optimistic about the team’s chances of success. “The team has worked hard to prepare the new car and get it to the race-ready condition that it’s now at. We’ve done a bit of testing and we’re happy with the results of that. The next stage now is to get it on the grid and see if we can build on last year’s results. With the team as strong as ever and the new Mazda3 MPS ready to go, we’re keen to get stuck in and start collecting points,” said Camilleri.
In addition to a Class C victory in the 2010 Australian Manufacturers Championship, Jake Camilleri was voted the year’s Best and Fairest Driver by his peers.

[projectrracing]

I see a double dry break valve on the back there. That is an improvement over the old BK 3 that had it in the boot.

It is a sexy looking ride.

[240MPS]

I see a double dry break valve on the back there. That is an improvement over the old BK 3 that had it in the boot.

It is a sexy looking ride.

Well spotted, they had some issues with it and last time I saw it they were sorting fume smells from the fuel bladder... Yes it's come up very nice..

[mickyj]

Hey Rino this is one nice looking Gen 2. Would love to go to the awesome Phillip Island track for the race but Victoria not cold enough for me yet so going to wait until mid June so I can see the Pies whoop the Dee's and hopefully get to go on the MPS GOR cruise.

[SarcasticOne]

they have interesting colour choices
hope it goes well

[240MPS]

SUPER DEBUT FROM NEW MAZDA SETS UP STRONG SEASON

A SUPER DEBUT from their brand-new Mazda 3 MPS has given Grand Prix Motorsport even more reason to be excited about this year’s Australian Manufacturers Championship.

With just one day of testing under their belt before hitting the high-speed Phillip island circuit, the team had every reason to expect a challenging weekend – but the results proved that the preparation of the new car was spot-on as the team scored a solid haul of points and a class win from the first round.

Driver Jake Camilleri qualified the new car on the front row with an impressive qualifying lap, and was fighting the Class B BMW of Peter O’Donnell in race one before a tyre was cut after slightly clipping a kerb at the turn four hairpin as the pair diced.

Not wanting to make an unscheduled pit stop – with the team already having to make one compulsory stop as part of the race regulations – Camilleri slowed the car and was able to enter pit lane just seconds after the siren sounded, opening the pit window. The excellent timing saved the team more than a minute and kept them in the hunt for a strong finish despite the dramas.

With a new tyre, the car finished strongly and scored a first-up finish of fifth place, second in class C.

Race two went much smoother, Camilleri bringing the car home comfortably first in class and second outright, an outstanding debut for a brand-new car in only its fourth ever day of on track action.

To make matters even more challenging, Camilleri was sick for a majority of the weekend however the results were enough reason to give him a big smile at the end of the weekend.

“It’s an awesome result for the entire team,” Jake Camilleri said.

“I was pretty sick all weekend and that wasn’t a great feeling – but what was great was the way the car performed straight out of the box. To go to third position in the first practice session was great, straight up the car felt really good.

“To qualify on the front row was good and we had a big battle with Peter O’Donnell in the BMW in race one. I made a move at the hairpin and just clipped the inside kerb which we think was what cut a chunk out of the front tyre. We just made it in for the unscheduled stop when the pit window opened so it could have been much worse.”

Camilleri said there was much, much more to come from the car as their development program continued – sending a warning to his class rivals, not to mention the four-wheel-drive turbo car that dominated the weekend.

“There is so much more balance and speed to get out of the car,” he explained.

“The car feels very good on its tyres, especially on older rubber so it’s nice to know that coming into the endurance races later this year.

“We now have a heap of information from the weekend – for instance, we didn’t have the ideal setup in the car and we just lacked the track time to get it right. We made a change in race two and it was probably in the wrong direction – but we now know that and that’s all part of having a new car.

“I’m really excited about the year. I’m proud of the team and the way they worked so well together. It’s a credit to all of them; it was a top weekend!”

Team Manager Graeme Murray agreed with Camilleri and said there was plenty of improvement to come.

“It was an impressive weekend, we had great car speed and only a few little niggling ‘new-car’ issues to work through, which was a great start,” he said.

“It’s a brand new car so we’re not as comfortable with it as we would like, but for a first-up debut it was a great start, really positive - especially given the limited amount of track time we had at the weekend.

“With two practice sessions and then straight into Qualifying, Friday was just flat out the whole way – I didn’t know where the time went. But the more track time we get the better and the more we will develop the car.

“It was great from our perspective to have someone like Allan Heaphy (from TMR Australia) come down to the garage and congratulate us on the weekend and the debut of the new car. It’s a big step forward from the old car and there is more to come. I think we’re in for a really good season.”

Grand Prix Motorsport’s next challenge will be the Phillip Island Six Hour – round two of the Australian Manufacturers Championship – to be held on May 28-29.
Grand Prix Motorsport would like to thank Castrol, Esanda, Allianz and Grand Prix Mazda for their continued support.

ENDS

[Caffeine Fiend]

[lup15]

what wheels are they? look good

[240MPS]

I have put in a request to find out Lup15 let you know unless I go there today to see them...

[240MPS]

Dropped in to see the boys at Allstar Tuning after dropping Duggie off at the Strathpine railway station this morning, I think when my replacement car comes end of year I may need to look at a Gen2 or 3 so much better, better than the Gen 1 . New setups and ecu's are all happening and the developing and pulling of the hairs have just about passed them and they just can't get over how well the car went with no official testing to hit the track and end up with the result they got,it handles and corners so much better than the Gen1 and the power on normal 98 fuel with their development is pulling some great numbers with less revs ( I won't mention figures up here ) even though they get scrutineer on the day, and they have some great development still to come, going what Richard was saying with a grin on his face........