Engen Xtreme has reinforced its commitment to performance, innovation, and motorsport by partnering with the #MazdaMasters2026 Sim Racing Championship, a unique digital racing event celebrating the 35th anniversary of Mazda’s legendary victory at Le Mans with the iconic Mazda 787B.
The championship brought together South Africa’s top 40 sim racers in an intense national competition, culminating in a live six-hour championship broadcast hosted at Mettlestate on 20 June 2026. Competitors raced remotely from their simulation rigs across the country while fans tuned in to enjoy live racing, interviews, analysis, and prize presentations.
Celebrating a Motorsport Legend
The event paid tribute to one of motorsport’s greatest achievements. In 1991, the Mazda 787B became the first—and still the only—rotary-powered race car to win the famous 24-hour endurance race at Le Mans outright. The historic victory also marked the first overall win by a Japanese manufacturer, cementing Mazda’s reputation for engineering innovation and determination.
Inspired by the endurance, precision, and performance that defined the 787B, the #MazdaMasters2026 championship connected a new generation of motorsport enthusiasts with Mazda’s rich racing heritage through the rapidly growing world of sim racing.
Rewarding Performance
As part of the partnership, Engen Xtreme Lubricants sponsored the Engen Xtreme Oil Grid Legends Top 10 Finish Award, recognising competitors who delivered outstanding performances beyond the podium.
The championship offered an impressive prize pool:
- 1st Place: R30,000 plus R10,000 vouchers for each winning team member.
- 2nd Place: R15,000.
- 3rd Place: R5,000.
- 4th to 13th Place: R1,000 each through the Engen Xtreme Oil Grid Legends Top 10 Finish Award.
Engen Xtreme also contributed R10,000 to the event’s overall prize pool, helping expand recognition across the competition.
In addition, Engen Xtreme Energy Drink, together with SWITCH, rewarded five Special Award winners over the age of 18 with six-packs of Engen Xtreme SWITCH energy drinks.
Connecting Motorsport with Gaming Culture
The partnership reflects the strong alignment between Mazda’s racing legacy and Engen Xtreme‘s passion for high-performance driving and innovation.
Melissa Graham, Engen Lubricants Marketing Manager, highlighted the importance of engaging younger audiences through digital motorsport experiences.
“Motorsport has always represented more than competition; it is about precision, performance, passion, and pushing boundaries. Through our partnership with #MazdaMasters2026, Engen Xtreme engaged with a new generation of motoring enthusiasts through sim racing while celebrating one of motorsport’s most iconic milestones alongside Mazda.”
She added that as gaming culture continues to shape consumer engagement, initiatives like #MazdaMasters2026 allow Engen Xtreme to remain relevant while reinforcing its core values of reliability, performance, and excellence.
Melissa Graham also appeared during the live Ignition TV broadcast, discussing the growing connection between gaming, youth culture, and performance-driven brands.
A New Era of Motorsport Engagement
The #MazdaMasters2026 championship formed part of Mazda Southern Africa’s broader 787B Heritage Campaign, celebrating one of the brand’s greatest motorsport achievements while inspiring a new generation of racing enthusiasts.
By combining the legendary story of the Mazda 787B with the accessibility and excitement of modern sim racing, the championship successfully bridged the gap between motorsport history and digital innovation, creating an unforgettable celebration of endurance, engineering excellence, and competitive spirit.
Watch the full #MazdaMasters2026 Championship here:
