Yes, the founder of Lotus, Colin Chapmann, had this egineering philosophy regarding racing cars: "Every part's weight is something I have to carry. If a part doesn't even exist, it doesn't have any weight." (Paraphrased by me.)

The biography "Colin Chapman The man and his cars" by Jerry Crombac is the got to read for this topic. BTW., Crombac is a legend in sports journalism in his own right.