Mazda name placed on new Indy Lights engine

The Mazda name will be on the 2-liter, turbocharged engine that will be paired with the new Dallara IL-15 chassis for the 2015 Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires season, series officials announced at the Performance Racing Industry trade show at the Indiana Convention Center in downtown Indianapolis.

It is the manufacturer's latest development in its commitment to motorsports, which includes the Mazda Road to Indy development system that incorporates Indy Lights, the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires and the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda.

The engine, developed in conjunction with Advanced Engine Research, was first campaigned by Mazda in the American Le Mans Series. Further development by AER was designed to produce 450 horsepower and last an entire season without a rebuild for Indy Lights.

The 2015 Indy Lights season kicks off March 27-29 on the streets of St. Petersburg, Fla., in conjunction with the Verizon IndyCar Series opener and concludes Sept. 11-13 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in California.

“The Mazda Road to Indy is a great showcase for what Mazda represents," Mazda Motorsports director John Doonan said. "Our strength is in helping drivers move up the ranks. Almost a third of the Indy 500 field traces their roots to Mazda. By adding the Indy Lights series it will allow us to have an even longer, more productive relationship with the Indy stars of the future."

The engine-chassis package went through extensive evaluation and confirmation during the summer. Verizon IndyCar Series drivers Scott Dixon, James Hinchcliffe, Conor Daly and Tristan Vautier, along with 2014 Indy Lights champion Gabby Chaves, tested the car on multiple racetracks.

“From the onset of my involvement with Indy Lights, it’s been my hope to have our longtime partner Mazda join us in this effort," said Dan Andersen, owner and CEO of Andersen Promotions. "My decision to select AER as our engine provider was consciously made knowing the substantial Mazda involvement with the engine proposed by AER, and today I am delighted to confirm that the IL-15’s engine does indeed have deep Mazda roots. Mazda does more for open-wheel racing in North America than any other manufacturer, and their full involvement in the Mazda Road to Indy is great news for all.”