Jake and the team from Grand Prix Mazda will take to Phillip Island this weekend....
Mazda Returns to Happy Hunting Grounds
29/04/2010 at 10:46AM
Two full seasons ago, Grand Prix Mazda Motorsport debuted their Mazda 3 MPS in the Australian Manufacturers Championship at Phillip Island, with team driver Jake Camilleri taking an incredible outright podium.
In the two years since, the combination have taken out numerous race wins, outright podiums and class championships, and returning to Phillip Island this weekend, the team is looking to continue their success.
Third outright at the most recent championship round at Symmons Plains Raceway in Tasmania has left the team brimming with confidence.
"I can't wait to get out there and get racing, it will be very interesting to see how much progress we have made in the past two seasons," said Camilleri.
"In 2008 we came to Phillip Island straight after our first race in the car at the Bathurst 12 Hour, and the package wasn't particularly well developed.
"The first race was wet, and we finished second outright in a front-wheel-drive car, which made a lot of people sit up and take notice, and ever since then we have been very competitive in the wet, so if the weather turns nasty this weekend, we won't be worried.
"Since the last time at Phillip Island we've figured out how to get the car to make use of the power of the Mazda 3 MPS, and we've also sussed out the brakes, so it will be interesting to see how far we have really come.
"We actually left the car down in Melbourne between rounds, and we've sent our team manager Graeme (Murray) down early to give the car a thorough check, so it's ready to race."
For Murray, Phillip Island will be a great opportunity to continue the momentum from Symmons Plains.
"We're all very excited and pumped up, we can't wait," Murray said.
"Apart from giving the brakes a bit of a freshen up, there's nothing to do to the car, it's spot on.
"Phillip Island has been a bit of a happy hunting ground for Jake in the past, and the car is light years away from where it was in 2008.
"Back then the car didn"t want to stop and it was just cranking wheel spin, having fixed those and sorted out the entire package, we should be a fair bit quicker this weekend, and if it rains, bring it on!"
The weekend of racing for the Grand Prix Motorsport team features a pair of one-hour mini enduros, with the Class C cars like the Mazda 3 MPS requiring a single tyre change in a compulsory pit stop.
This was an area in which the team excelled at Symmons Plains, and they will be looking to continue the form heading into the upcoming Australian Six Hour at Eastern Creek Raceway on July 18.
Grand Prix Motorsport would like to thank Castrol, Esanda, All Star Tuning Systems, Allianz , HDR Workshop Solutuions, Mobile Flywheel Grinding, Top Cog Diff and Gearbox Centre and Mazda Australia for their continued support.
source: The Shannons National Motor Racing Championships - Welcome