It has now become pretty easy to predict the country of origin of the team taking the top step at Le Mans. Over the past 25 years, the winners enclosure has been littered with German flags, bar a few exceptions. 1991 was one of those years. It was Mazda's. Fielding the RB26B four-rotor engine in the 787b, it produced 700hp in something that weighed in at less than 850kg and was remarkably reliable over the 24 hours, blown headlight notwithstanding.
Subsequently ruled out by regulations it remains the only rotary engine to have won Le Mans and the only time in the history of the race a Japanese marque has taken victory.Celebrated in the Mazda MX-5 Le Mans 24 editions it's always one to hunt out at events like Goodwood. Just don't forget your earplugs.
If you weren't lucky to see it in action back in 1991, sit back and listen to this 700hp monster lap of Le Mans in the hands of the driver that took the flag - Johnny Herbert himself.