[h=2]M. Franchitti joins Mazda for Sebring 12 Hours[/h] Monday, 20 February 2017


By Marshall Pruett (words & images)

Marino Franchitti will be back in a familiar family as he rejoins Mazda Motorsports for the upcoming Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.



The Scot, who scored the overall Sebring win with Chip Ganassi Racing in 2014 driving a Ford Daytona Prototype, will step into the No. 70 Mazda RT24-P (top) alongside Tom Long and Joel Miller.
"It's so cool to be coming back into the Mazda family," said Franchitti. "Like everyone else, I was blown away when I saw the first shots of the RT24-P and how incredible it looks, so there's a lot of excitement at getting to drive it. I'm relieved I get a chance to test the car, as many times I've just jumped in and raced, so this is a bit of a luxury! Being a part of the development process of a car is something I've been lucky enough to do several times and it's something I really love."
Franchitti's most recent tour with the Japanese brand came in 2013 as part of Mazda Racing's Rolex GTX lineup at Daytona (above) in the No. 70 Mazda 6. Before that, he spent 2012 in the team's Rolex GT effort at Daytona and piloted a Mazda-powered Lola in 2009 with Dyson Racing in the American Le Mans Series (below).























As a known quantity that can bring a veteran's perspective to Mazda's new Daytona Prototype international program, Franchitti should provide value in and out of the car.

"He's a proven winner there, and he's been a part of the Mazda family for years," said Mazda Motorsports director John Doonan.
"Just look at his record at Sebring! He has the experience that can really help our team. Because he's driven with Mazda before, we know his personality is a great fit. That's important to us, and it goes a long way in helping the team chemistry remain strong."