RML: A BRIEF HISTORY

Chevrolet’s technical and motorsports partner for the World Touring Car Championship programme is RML (Ray Mallock Limited). Founded in 1984, RML has among the most enviable track records in motorsports, with every race or rally car designed by RML having won in its first year of competition and secured a championship title within two years.

After five successful years in the FIA World Sports-Prototype Championship, RML moved to touring car racing in 1992, running a pair of privateer Ecurie Ecosse Vauxhall Cavaliers (Opel Vectra in some markets). In 1993, RML ran its first in-house-designed Vauxhall Cavalier and frequently outpaced factory-supported cars. As a result, RML was awarded “works” status for Vauxhall in 1994.

Running the Vauxhall Sport team in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC), RML also supplied and supported eight Vauxhall and Opel teams worldwide. Success soon followed, as RML won the 1995 BTCC team and driver championships, as well as the Spanish Touring Car Championship. In 1996, the cars won touring car championships in Australia and Thailand.

When Nissan decided to return to the BTCC it also turned to RML. In 1998, the second year of the programme, RML duly won the team and manufacturer championships, followed by a “clean sweep” in 1999, winning driver, manufacturer and team championships.

Parallel to the touring car programmes, Opel chose RML to design and develop its Astra Formula 2 rally car. From a clean sheet of paper, the car was designed in less than five months, with its competition debut following just a month later.

In 1998, its first year of competition, the car won the German Rally Championship. In 1999, the RML Astra won rally championships in Germany, Norway and Sweden, followed by 2000 championship titles in Great Britain, Germany and Norway.

In late 2000, RML was asked by Opel to design and develop the Opel Corsa Super 1600 Rally Car, of which 14 are now successfully competing around the world.

Also in 2000, Saleen Inc. awarded RML a contract to design and build the first American supercar, the 7-litre Saleen S7, and its racing version, the Saleen S7R. This project took just eight months from sketch to production of two prototypes.

In its first racing season, the car won 11 races from 16 starts, including the Sebring 12 hours.

RML raced the car in the 2001 ELMS (European Le Mans Series), winning the manufacturer, team and driver championships.

In 2002, RML became one of the first European motorsport organisations to undertake oval racing programmes in the form of ASCAR (a European version of NASCAR) and the ChampCar World Series.

For the 2002 Rockingham (UK) Champcar event, RML prepared and managed the Team St. George car driven by Darren Manning. This event marked the Champcar debut for both the driver and team, who were rewarded with a competitive 9th place finish after having led for part of the race.

In ASCAR, the RML team claimed the 2002 and 2003 championship titles with drivers Nicolas Minassian and Ben Collins.

RML returned to touring car racing in 2004, managing the factory SEAT programme in the BTCC. The team soon returned to its winning ways by taking a victory in the opening event at Thruxton and with three races remaining this season have led more race laps than any other team. It has increased its total number of race wins to eight.

In 2004, RML has also participated in the FIA GT Championship (Saleen S7R’s), the Le Mans 24 Hours (Lola MG Prototype) and the Le Mans Endurance Series (Lola MG Prototype).

In addition to running the Chevrolet World Touring Car programme in 2005 RML again participated in the Le Mans Endurance Series and the Le Mans 24 Hours with a new Lola MG Prototype. The team won the Le Mans 24 Hours (P2 class) and finished 2nd in the Le Mans Endurance Series.

In 2006 RML will again contest the FIA World Touring Car Championship on behalf of Chevrolet Europe and the Le Mans 24 Hours and Le Mans Series with the Lola MG Prototype.

* World Touring Car Championship
** British Touring Car Championship
*** Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters