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SIGMA C73-MAZDA (1973)
Car No. 26 Drivers: Tetsu Ikusawa / Hiroshi Fushida / P.Dal Bo
Qualified 14th with a time of 4'11.1
Withdrawn from the race (at the 12 hour-30 minute mark w/clutch trouble)
SIGMA AUTOMOTIVE, the then rising racing car builder in Japan, had been attaining good results in the Fuji GC series by developing its own chassis. President Makoto Kato had planned to attempt an international class race overseas just two years after Sigma Automobile was established. That race was, believe it or not, the world's premier endurance race, the Le Mans 24 Hours.
In their original plan, they had used a Toyota engine, but after some unforeseen issues decided to equip the chassis with a Mazda 12A rotary engine tuned by Mazda Auto Tokyo. SIGMA's aggressive plan drew attention as it was the first-ever attempt by a Japanese entry in the history of Le Mans. In addition, the SIGMA-MAZDA ran remarkably well initially, and great things were expected for the race.
However, the SIGMA ran into problem after problem in the race, including electrical trouble and then suspension issues, necessitating long stretches in the pits. The car then stopped out on track with clutch trouble as the halfway point came and went. As a result the car was withdrawn, though the significance of the first ever Japanese entry and the first Japanese drivers to participate at Le Mans could not be ignored.
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