Straight4, the developers of yet-to-be-released online racing simulator game, Project Motor Racing announced the addition of the Spec-series Mazda MX5 as part of the latest included content. The official website release notes;
Like the daddy of all spec racing (SCCA’s Sports Renault started in 1984, if you’re counting, though there can be a claim for the ’66 Renault Gordinis)—there’re two things about this kind of racing that matter most: momentum … and the car.
Not all spec racing works: the car is fundamental to the experience and the thrill of door-to-door racing.
Enter what many believe is the apotheosis (yikes) of spec racing bliss: the 2017 Global MX-5 (ND1), a showroom MX-5 built in Hiroshima and converted by Long Road Racing into a sealed, single-spec racer.
In addition to the Spec MX5, the latest content update will also feature the amazing Mazda 787B, which rewrote the history books when first raced at Le Mans in 1991. Featuring a 4-rotor Mazda R26B Wankel (rotary) engine pumping out 700 horsepower at 9,000RPM (over 670 kw) and a top speed of 210 mph (over 350 km/h).
In the real-world, the Spec MX5 series is the most successful and relatively affordable series in the United States and features a mix of rookie and professional drivers. In the SIM world, iRacing hosts a seasonal racing series specifically for the ND model MX5 which is always heavily subscribed.
The addition of the category to Project Motor Racing is undoubtedly an effort to capture some of the sim racers from iRacing but also an endorsement of the popularity of racing MX5’s online.
Project Motor Racing is available to purchase via Steam but won’t unlock until the 26th of November 2025.
