DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – After five years of participating in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship DPi division, Mazda is ending its participation in the series at the end of the year.

According to a statement from Mazda, the decision was made after an internal assessment of the current DPi division and the future LMDh division.

During its time in IMSA’s top category, the team has earned five victories in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The biggest of those victories came last November during the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.

Beginning in 2022, Mazda will focus its motorsports efforts on MX-5 Cup and grassroots racing. The MX-5 Cup, a signature single make series, will remain the cornerstone of Mazda’s racing efforts.

“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,” chairman and CEO of Mazda North American Operations Masahiro Moro said. “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.”

Additionally, Mazda Motorsports Director, Nelson Cosgrove, will be leaving Mazda at the end of February. Mo Murray, senior vice president of Garage Team Mazda, will oversee Mazda’s DPi program starting in March.