For the last five years, Mazda has participated in the IMSA Weathertech Sports Car Championship in the DPi category, the top level of prototype racing in North America. The marque finished third at the most recent race, the Rolex 24 at Daytona but now they are set to exit the series and change their motorsport focus, with the intention to concentrate their efforts on the MX-5 Cup and grassroots racing.  This has always been where Mazda has been the strongest.  In fact, the relatively small brand has long claimed that more Mazdas are road-raced than any other car brand on any given weekend and that the MX-5 Miata is the most-raced car in the world.

Scaled Back 2021 Perhaps Hinted At Mazda's Ultimate Decision

via Sportscar365

The decision to withdraw might not come as too much as a surprise. In October 2020, Mazda announced they were scaling back their 2021 IMSA commitments and running just one car after running multiple in previous years. This marked the first time the company had ran just the one car in the top prototype class. The company has cited an internal assessment for their decision to drop out of the DPi class, but no doubt the financial impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic have forced their hand at least slightly in this decision.

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Chairman and CEO of Mazda North American Operations Masahiro Moro said “Mazda has a long history in racing and recently added several DPi victories and podium finishes during the 2020 season. This is a tribute to our ‘never stop challenging’ spirit,” “We’re especially proud of our victory at the 12 Hours of Sebring, podium finishes at Daytona’s Rolex 24 in both 2020 and 2021, and record-setting laps at Daytona in 2019 and 2020. These are significant accomplishments in the history of Mazda Motorsports. We thank our drivers, team, partners, and our fans for their years of support, and look forward to a strong 2021 season.”

Lack Of Daytona Victory Might Have Helped Mazda's Decision Making

via Speed Sport

In its time at the top level in the last few years, Mazda has been unable to add a Daytona victory to its tally. They did fight for victory this year after coming back from a 3 lap down deficit, but their decision to withdraw from the series will disappointment fans hoping for a larger consignment of prototypes when the new LMDh rules come in. However, Acura and Cadillac do seem committed to the future.

Sources: Mazda, Speed Sport, Sportscar365, Mazda.com

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