Mazda rules out customer DPis for 2019

Mazda has confirmed its position on the availability of the RT24-P Daytona Prototype international for customer use in the near future.

Following a report this week suggesting the Riley/Multimatic-built IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship prototypes could be offered to privateers in 2019, Mazda Motorsports boss John Doonan clarified the brand’s stance on DPi sales.

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“I would love to go back to the heyday of IMSA GTP and offer customer cars to all those who wanted our Mazda RT24-Ps, but we are not in a position to do so today, nor will we be next year,” Doonan told RACER.

“As we’ve said all along, we will continue to concentrate on making Mazda Team Joest a race-winning and championship-winning program, and while we’re doing that, our focus will remain inward. If you look at how the car performed at Road America last weekend, we continue to get closer to our goals on track, but we aren’t going to take our eyes off our main goal until it is reached.”

Through intensive work with Multimatic, AER, and the rest of the Mazda program’s partners, the RT24-Ps have become a legitimate threat for podiums – and a possible a win or two – after a busy redevelopment effort during the off-season.

As Mazda Team Joest continues to pursue its first win with two WeatherTech Championship rounds remaining for the Prototype class, achieving its greater goal of becoming a title contender will have to wait for 2019. If that goal is reached, customer RT24-Ps could become viable for 2020.

Doonan also addressed a rumor that made the rounds at Road America related to its partner team.

“I was asked if there were any changes pending on the team side, and by policy, we do not comment on contracts,” he said. “But I can say, as stated in our Mazda Team Joest announcement a year ago, we are in a long-term partnership with Joest Racing.”