We often hear about drivers who built successful racing careers, but Peter Farrell’s story goes far beyond the driver’s seat. While many enthusiasts know him for his work developing the legendary Mazda FD RX-7, his career stretches from rallying on a shoestring budget in New Zealand to developing some of the first performance upgrades for the FD and competing in factory-backed racing programs in the United States.

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After discovering rallying as a teenager, Peter combined his engineering background with an obsession for making cars faster. Whether it was pioneering turbocharged Ford Escorts, competing against legends like Possum Bourne, or moving to America with little more than ambition and mechanical skill, every chapter of his story was built on finding opportunities and making the most of them.

That determination eventually led Peter into professional endurance racing, where he drove for manufacturers including Mitsubishi, Peugeot, Saturn, and most famously Mazda. Along the way he helped develop the FD RX-7 into a race-winning platform, worked alongside Mazda's engineers in Japan, pioneered performance parts for the iconic rotary sports car, and experienced the golden era of factory-backed motorsport in America.

Beyond the racing, Peter shares invaluable insights into engine development, turbocharging, cooling, reliability, and why understanding the fundamentals matters just as much as having the latest technology. His stories highlight how ingenuity, persistence, and strong relationships opened doors that money alone never could.

This episode is packed with incredible stories from a fascinating motorsport career. From grassroots rallying and endurance racing to rotary development and factory engineering, Peter's journey offers lessons that every racer, tuner, and enthusiast can appreciate.

👉 Use the code ‘PODCAST500’ to get $500 OFF HPA's VIP Package: https://hpcdmy.co/podvip

Follow Peter here:

Youtube: pfsupercars1
Facebook: Peter Farrell

Timestamps:

0:00 Pioneering the Mazda FD3S RX-7
3:55 How did you first develop a passion for cars?
7:25 Competing in rally in New Zealand
17:39 Early turbo setups on 2.0 Pinto engines
28:58 Moving to America to go chase the rally dream
38:17 The switch to circuit racing and getting paid to race
1:00:18 Starting the relationship with Mazda
1:03:00 Building the FD RX7 to race in the IMSA Supercars
1:12:19 How to keep a Rotary reliable and fast?
1:17:40 Were you not allowed an aftermarket ECU?
1:20:05 Did you have problems with the factory gearbox?
1:32:51 Starting a performance parts business (PFS)
1:35:58 Peter Farrell Purple Box piggy back ECU
1:57:40 Final 3 questions