THE DRIVERS

The Mazda MX-5 GT car will be driven by two Mazda works drivers including experienced Mazda racing driver Mark Ticehurst, 40 from Hassocks, West Sussex and Auto Express journalist and racing driver Owen Mildenhall.


 


Mark Ticehurst

Mark started racing 100cc Karts in the mid 80’s, taking a fourth place in the 100A British open Kart Championships in 1994. The following three years saw him twice win the Alfa Romeo Championships, with a remarkable 23 victories in 1995 and 1996. In 1999 he became a Vauxhall Works Driver and was the first person to win a race in an LPG fuelled car. Mark started racing for Mazda in 2005 as a works driver behind the wheel of a Mazda RX-8, taking five class wins and three class seconds during that year. Last year, he took the helm of racing the Mazda MX-5 competing in the Britcar 4 hour Snetterton Endurance race and the 24 hour Silverstone event.


 


Owen Mildenhall

Owen’s racing career started in 1993 when he attended the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School and then entered the British Formula First Series the following year. He came sixth in the championship a year later. In 1997, Owen became First Division Champion in the British Formula Ford series. 2003 saw Owen behind the wheel of a Mazda MX-5 in the Media Race Japan. In 2005 and 2006 he drove a Mazda RX-8 in the Silverstone 24 Hour and competed in the Nurburgring 24 Hour. Five years later in 2010, he was back at Silverstone but this time piloting the Jota Sport Mazda MX-5 GT car. 


 


top 10 driving tips

Racing the MX-5 GT may be very different to enjoying your MX-5 on the road but here’s some driving tips that apply to both.

Anticipation
The faster you go the further ahead you need to look. So anticipating other cars and reading the road gives you time to react whether chasing a lap time or enjoying a great stretch of back road.

Progressive braking
Braking progressively up to the corner and avoiding coming on and off the pedal keeps the nose of the car down and prevents any longitudinal weight transfer. It’s also the most efficient way to slow the car down.

Balance throttle
Making sure you turn into a corner with a steady constant throttle will keep the car balanced. Avoid coming on and off the accelerator or braking mid-corner, as this will unbalance the car. This is particularly important in a rear driven car like the MX-5.

Accelerate out of the corner
Get the above right and you can apply the power smoothly out of the corner. In a well-balanced rear driven roadster like the MX-5 this feels great and is a real joy. The smoother your style the better your traction.

Accurate steering
The MX-5 has some of the sharpest, most accurate and communicative steering you’ll find in a road car so make the most of this by being smooth, accurate and consistent with your inputs. Jerky or sudden movements will cause unnecessary weight transfer.

Understand your cars active safety systems
Learning how the stability and traction control systems work and how they help you, will be a valuable asset during emergency inputs. Understanding the feelings you are experiencing through the controls will stop you panicking or over reacting to situations.

Car control
Understand what causes a loss of front-end grip (understeer) and rear end grip (oversteer) and how you correct it, will give you more confidence behind the wheel and enhance the enjoyment of the car. With its direct responses and communicative feedback the MX-5 is the perfect car for this.

Heel and toe
This technique allows you to match engine revs to wheel speed on down changes without compromising braking. A great skill to master, it makes changes down the gearbox much smoother and avoids unsettling the car as slow for a corner. It’s also good for the mechanicals of the transmission.

Check your tyres
When it comes to success on the track car set up is as important as driver skill. On the road it isn’t quite as crucial but checking the basics are right is. Incorrect tyre pressures or worn rubber will have a big effect on your cars handling, impacting on your enjoyment and compromising safety.
 
Enjoy
And finally enjoy your motoring. Drive well and get pleasure from your time behind the wheel, now that’s something that applies to the road and the track…


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31