Mazda has announced that Multimatic Motorsports will take over the Japanese’s manufacturer’s Daytona Prototype International (DPi) program, starting at the next round of the IMSA Weathertech Sportscar Championship.
“With its broad experience in racing operations and race car development, Mazda has now tasked Multimatic with the operation of its flagship racing program,” Mazda Motorsports said in a statement.
While not mentioned in the statement, it indicates that Mazda’s relationship with Team Joest outfit has come to an end. The German outfit, which holds multiple Le Mans wins with Audi and Porsche to its name, had been running the program since 2018, when it took over from SpeedSource and went on to score three victories in 2019, most notably during Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen.
“Mazda is looking forward to going racing with Multimatic when IMSA resumes racing, with a shared goal of winning the IMSA driver and manufacturer’s championships,” said Nelson Cosgrove, Director of Mazda Motorsports. “The management and engineering staff at Multimatic is familiar with our team and will continue to elevate our program.”
Multimatic has previously been involved with Mazda’s DPi program, as it is responsible for developing the RT24-P prototype, based on Riley’s LMP2 chassis as part of the DPi regulations.
Mazda’s driver line-up for the remainder of the 2020 campaign remains unchanged. Jonathan Bomarito and Harry Tincknell will pilot the #55 Mazda RT-24P joined by Ryan Hunter-Reay for the Michelin Endurance Cup rounds. The #77 car is driven by Oliver Jarvis and Tristan Nunez, who are joined by Olivier Pla for the endurance races.
Motorsport Week has reached out to Team Joest for comments.