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Mazda MX-5 ice race


I was one of six Australian motoring journalists to compete last week in a promotional Mazda MX-5 race on a frozen Swedish lake.  We approached the event cautiously as most of us had never driven on snow, let alone ice.

But having now represented our country so successfully, all I can say is bring on the ice age so we can all tear around in rear-wheel-drive open-top roadsters.

THE IDEA

Mazda Europe boss Jeffrey Guyton says the event was a follow-up to last year's invitational tarmac race in Venice to celebrate the MX-5's 20th anniversary.

"We were hoping for more teams this year and really happy to see Australia participate," he says.  "The idea is to have fun and I can see from the smiles that it has been successful."

He wouldn't say how much the exercise cost, however it must have been an expensive promotional event.  Mazda invited 120 drivers from 25 European countries plus Australia to drive 20 race-prepared cars on a specially constructed ice course on Lake Kallsjon in northern Sweden.  Over the two days the drivers covered 11,000km at 550km per car over 157 driving hours.

Before heading over to Sweden to represent Australia's motoring media, I asked V8 Supercar legend Craig Lowndes for some advice, but he just laughed.  "You've got to be kidding; a short-wheelbased, rear-wheel-drive open-top car on ice? Good luck."

Former World Rally Championship driver Chris Atkinson was a little more constructive with his tips to another of our team.

He said racing on ice was like driving on gravel. He suggested we keep the wheels spinning so the 300 nipple-shaped metal studs on the tyres break through the slippery ice surface.

Race director Pontus Sandell advised: "You won't win this race in one lap or even one race.  The whole two days of practice, qualifying and racing will be important."

THE COURSE

The 4.9km track was graded into 60cm-thick ice on the artificial lake surface in a tight slalom of 23 left corners and 20 rights.  It varied from 10-15m wide with slushy snow banks on either side to beach cars that slid wide.

Temperatures on the two days ranged from a balmy -10C to a bracing -30C with conditions changing throughout the day as bright sunshine melted the surface, only to freeze again later in the day.  Like any ski field, the course was carved up during the day. By afternoon, it was bumpier than a stage of the Australasian Safari.

THE CAR

Despite Lowndes's skepticism and our fears, the rear-wheel-drive MX-5 was hot on the ice.  Sure, it had limited grip, but that was what made it such fun.  Our car was number 21 as there was no number 13.

All race cars are stripped for weight.  Gone are the soft top, roll bar, fog lights, insulation, carpet, wheel liners, sound system, airbags, seats, exhaust and suspension springs.

It gets a racing body kit, rear wing, diffuser, carbonfibre trim, racing seats, four-point racing harness, roll cage, 320mm racing steering wheel, lap timer and fire extinguisher. One driver joked that if the car is on fire, just drive it deep into a snow bank.

In the Aussie car, the centre console had the added weight of a packet of Tim Tams.  The race cars also get a limited-slip differential, racing clutch and brakes, special powertrain control module, a stainless-steel exhaust system that belches out a macho tone and anti-freeze coolant, transmission fluid and oil.

Underneath is racing suspension, 16-inch alloy wheels, and, of course, special ice tyres with 300 small metal studs.

Surprisingly, the open-top roadster was quite warm with the windows up and the heater belting out hot air into the cockpit bubble. Or maybe it was the nervous energy we put into qualifying and the race that had us pitting in a lather of sweat.

Bump and rebound was the only adjustment allowed, apart from tyre pressures. Our race mechanic, Markus Lungstrass - a driver trainer at Germany's Nurburgring - checked the pressures but left the suspension as is.  Later in the day when the bumps became bigger, we were grateful.

THE DRIVERS

Our team was comprised of six motoring journalists including Big Wheels reporter James Stanford and me representing Carsguide.  Stanford was our quickest driver setting the pole time of 4:41, six seconds better than anyone else in the field. The amateur part-time club rallycross driver went on to set a race lap record of 1:38.

The other teams also brought a wealth of talented drivers, including the Russian national ice-racing champion, Sergey Voskresenskiy, while Switzerland had former F1 driver Rene Arnoux.

"I've raced on ice before, but never on a big course like this," Arnoux says in his flambouyant Swiss-French accent.  "This is very long and very interesting. The track I race on in France is only 600m."

Some countries couldn't muster enough drivers for a full team, so they shared cars with other countries.  The Italians shared our pit bay, but seemed more interested in drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes.  In one pit stop debacle, their car entered the bay and the next driver still had his snow overboots on, and no helmet or gloves.

After some cross words from the race manager they could be seen with three drivers prepared with their helmets on in the pits while still trying to smoke.

The UK entered two teams and Germany three.Mazda design boss Ikuo Maeda - known as "Speedy" because of his motorsport involvement - drove for one of the German teams.

"When I enjoy racing it stimulates emotion and that is important for stylists. They need passion," he says.  "This is the first time for me on the ice, though."

THE METHOD

As Atkinson says, ice racing is like driving on gravel. And the course was so tight we only used second and third gear.  What is surprising is how much motorsport fun you can have without needing big power. In fact, we find sticking to third gear allowed us to control the torque oversteer much better.

We only used second to slow for tight corners, turn in early, chuck it sideways and throttle out in third as straight as possible to avoid wasting momentum on wheel spin.  It's not the most spectacular way through a corner, but it's the fastest.  We only used the brake three times per lap, but sometimes just a touch more to settle the car, rather than slow it.

THE STRATEGY

While the Russians, Poms and Germans seemed very serious, most teams treated the race with the fun spirit it was intended.That was also our intention before the race. Our only strategy was to make fast pit stops and try not to spin too much.

We were more concerned that the "Zoom-Zoom" logo on the car didn't read "Wooz-Wooz" after up-ending the vehicle.  However, when we found our qualifying times among the top of the 120-strong field, we became more serious.

At the end of the first day of practice and qualifying we not only captured pole, but seemed to have captured the attention and respect of the European teams.

THE RACE

Race day dawned at -30C with a beautiful clear blue sky.  Teams arrived looking serious, while we Aussies arrived with board shorts over the top of our race suits.  Despite all the hoop-la from the teams and the AC-DC playing on the PA, ice racing is actually very quiet.

Driving on ice allows you to appreciate the macho burp from the exhaust and the crackle on the over-run as you "barp, barp, barp" through the corners, the tail hanging out wide, showering snow in your wake and hopefully over trailing Poms.

Stanford leaves everyone in his wake in the rolling start and pretty soon we scythe through the back markers, despite few acknowledging the blue overtaking flag.

The race starts as an Ashes duel with the Poms, but ends in a Cold War with Russia with the Aussies victorious.  That gives us the pole for race 2 and we stick to our pit and race strategy.

After nearly four hours of racing, it comes down in the last few laps to a close dice with the Russians.  The crowd were on their feet, enjoying the stoush and the Aussies could taste the victory champagne.

However, with a bit of panel-swapping and maneuvers that would have attracted the stewards' attention in club or professional racing, the Russians cut off our legitimate passing attempts and we spun in frustration.

We may have finished second, but we won the hearts and minds of the European drivers and were the toast of the awards night.

THE AFTERMATH

"The idea was to have a bit of fun, but who could have written a script like this," Guyton said of the close result.  He said the event was a "significant investment" for the promotion of its hero car which holds the Guinness record for the most sales of a two-seater open-top roadster, having passed the 900,000 mark recently.

Maybe we Aussies took things a little too seriously in the end and were disappointed to hear of some cheating that had gone on - false driver changes, double-stinting and speeding through the pits.  At least we can be proud of having played fair.  Plus, there is always next year as the organisers have suggested it becomes an annual event.

And who knows, Mazda Australia PR boss Steve Maciver was so chuffed with the result, he'd like to see it staged on bulldust roads in the Outback.

Mazda MX-5 ice race results

1 Russia
2 Australia, 1:10 seconds
3 Belgium, 2:50
4 Croatia, Czech rep, Slovakia, 6:21
5 Austria, 1 lap
6 Italy, 1 lap
7 France, 2 laps
8 UK2, 2 laps
9 Germany3, 2 laps
10 Spain, 2 laps
11 Denmark,
Norway, 3 laps
12 Netherlands, 4 laps
13 Finland, Ireland, Romania, Serbia, 4 laps
14 Poland, Sweden, 4 laps
15 UK 1, 5 laps
16 Switzerland, 6 laps
17 Germany2, 6 laps
18 Germany1, 6 laps
19 Portugal, 7 laps
20 HungarySlovenia Turkey, 8 laps

Mazda MX-5 race car

Engine: 1999cc 4-cylinder
Power: 118kW @ 7000rpm
Torque: 188Nm @5000rpm
Fuel: 95 RON
Tank: 50 litres
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Brakes: 290mm ventilated discs (front), 280mm solid discs (rear), ABS
Performance: 213km/h (top speed), 7.6 secs to 100km/h
Economy*: 7.6L/100km
CO2: 181g/km
Weight: 1150kg
(* production model, not the race car)

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