When Mazda first ventured onto the grueling stage of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1979 with the Mazda RX-7 252i, their team was a modest, almost bootstrapped operation. The Mazda Auto Tokyo team, excluding drivers, consisted of just four individuals, bolstered by support from France Motor, the local sales company. In those early days, the prevailing ethos was resourcefulness and on-the-fly problem-solving. Yet, even from this nascent stage, the seeds of international collaboration were sown, with the team comprising both Japanese and French personnel.
The initial Le Mans experiences, fraught with logistical hurdles ranging from accommodation and catering to transportation and parts procurement, served as a crucible for transformation. Mazda recognized that to truly compete on the world stage, a more globally integrated approach was necessary. Thus, from 1981 onwards, Mazda’s racing endeavors became increasingly international. Strategic partnerships with European racing powerhouses like TWR and Alan Docking Racing were forged, and the support from France Motor expanded significantly. This evolution birthed a truly tri-national team, blending Japanese, French, and British expertise.
This internationalization extended far beyond team management and engineering. Mazda’s driver roster became a melting pot of global talent, welcoming racers from the USA, Belgium, Ireland, Germany, Brazil, and Sweden. To ensure seamless communication within this diverse group, interpreters were crucial during formal team meetings, guaranteeing accurate information dissemination. However, the vibrant atmosphere of the paddock and pit lane thrived on a more organic multilingualism. Team members conversed in their native tongues, while staff navigated the dynamic environment using a mélange of Japanese, English, and French, supplemented by universal body language. Even the catering team adapted to this multinational reality, curating menus that catered to a wide array of palates and dietary preferences.
This journey of international collaboration reached its zenith in 1991, the year of Mazda’s historic victory at Le Mans with the iconic Mazda 787b. By this pivotal moment, the team had swelled to a formidable force of 120 individuals, a testament to the scale and complexity of a world-class racing operation. This victory wasn’t just a triumph for Mazda engineering and the revolutionary rotary engine of the Mazda 787B; it was a resounding success for international teamwork, proving that a diverse group of individuals, united by a common goal, could achieve the pinnacle of motorsport excellence. The Mazda 787B, therefore, stands as a symbol not only of Japanese automotive innovation but also of the power of global collaboration in achieving seemingly impossible dreams in the demanding world of endurance racing.
