Only two weeks separate us from this year’s edition of the Targa Tasmania and Mazda seems to be almost ready for the assault, with the company making the final tweaks to its trio of turbocharged RX-8 models.
Mazda will test its two RX-8 SPs today at the Wakefield Park Raceway, in an effort to spot any last minute adjustments that may be necessary, as the company wants to make sure that it is prepare for the five-day event, which is considered the toughest tarmac rally in the world.
The new member of the Mazda team, Jamie Vandenberg, will be the first to put the RX-8 SP through its paces and he will be followed by his teammate Steve Glenney.
“It is a great opportunity to have both RX-8 SPs available to evaluate back to back. We’re in a unique position because we can compare recent changes side by side and see what works best,” said Glenney.
The Head of Mazda Motorsport, Allan Horsley, considers that the car’s engine won’t be boosted to much, with the efforts being concentrated on the handling tweaks.
“While the RX-8 SP doesn’t have the same power as its rivals, it is well suited to the demanding roads of Tasmania. To build on this advantage, the Mazda Motorsport team has focused on further refining handling and suspension and they are convinced that Glenney and Vandenberg will be able to find the pace to hunt down the leaders in the latter stages of the event,” stated the press release.
The third Mazda warrior is the Showroom class Mazda3 MPS, which has been fully prepared to take on the challenge. This will be driven by Brendan Reeves, who is currently in Portugal, preparing for his first step in the WRC.
Mazda will test its two RX-8 SPs today at the Wakefield Park Raceway, in an effort to spot any last minute adjustments that may be necessary, as the company wants to make sure that it is prepare for the five-day event, which is considered the toughest tarmac rally in the world.
The new member of the Mazda team, Jamie Vandenberg, will be the first to put the RX-8 SP through its paces and he will be followed by his teammate Steve Glenney.
“It is a great opportunity to have both RX-8 SPs available to evaluate back to back. We’re in a unique position because we can compare recent changes side by side and see what works best,” said Glenney.
The Head of Mazda Motorsport, Allan Horsley, considers that the car’s engine won’t be boosted to much, with the efforts being concentrated on the handling tweaks.
“While the RX-8 SP doesn’t have the same power as its rivals, it is well suited to the demanding roads of Tasmania. To build on this advantage, the Mazda Motorsport team has focused on further refining handling and suspension and they are convinced that Glenney and Vandenberg will be able to find the pace to hunt down the leaders in the latter stages of the event,” stated the press release.
The third Mazda warrior is the Showroom class Mazda3 MPS, which has been fully prepared to take on the challenge. This will be driven by Brendan Reeves, who is currently in Portugal, preparing for his first step in the WRC.