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MAZDA RX-3 (1975)
Car No.98 Claude Buchet, Jean Rondeau
Qualified 50th
Withdrawn from the race (at the 13th hour)
This was the first year in the history of the Le Mans 24 Hours that a fuel mileage regulation was applied, and came about as a result of the growing sense of crisis about the drying up of the world's fossil fuel reserves, prevalent since the start of the oil shock in the spring of 1973. The lone Japanese entrant was SIGMA AUTOMOTIVE, running a car equipped with the TOYOTA 2TG turbo engine. SIGMA had participated with a rotary unit for two consecutive years. Mazda Auto Tokyo temporarily suspended their participation at Le Mans.
At the time in the oil crisis-affected U.S., Mazda's rotary engine was slurred as a gas-guzzler. Around the same time (1973), Mazda started its attempt at IMSA, and Mazda rotary vehicles were starting to gain recognition and acceptance as being suitable for motorsports. In the 1975 running of the Le Mans 24 Hours, a Mazda RX-3 was entered by local Mazda dealer Claude Buchet. At 825kgs, the RX-3 was heavy, equipped as it was with the 260hp 12A rotary engine. The car qualified 50th out of 55 entrants, but was withdrawn 13 hours into the race. In stark contrast, it was remarkable that Jean Rondeau drove the car. Rondeau had participated in touring car races after graduating from Formula Renault. He was born in Le Mans, as was fellow competitor Claude Buchet, who was also 29 years old at the time. Several years later, Rondeau developed a Le Mans machine baring his own name. He took overall victory in the 1980 Le Mans in his own car. He is widely known as one of the French who has spent his life fascinated by Le Mans. Is it possible that his early experience with the Mazda rotary engine led him toward his ambition of outright victory at Le Mans.
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