The Mazda MX-5 has always been the purists choice for low weight thrills and soft top antics. On track the MX-5 is known for being the great equaliser allowing great drivers to shine and lesser drivers to be thoroughly shown up.

With the advent of the MX-5 Cup and various private teams using the 5 as their track weapon of choice it is no wonder that there are some fantastic and inspirational liveries out there. We take a look at some of our favourite MX-5 liveries to ever grace the racetrack.

Mission Motorsport

The simplicity and elegance of the design alone on this ND make it worth talking about, couple this with the fantastic work done by Mission Motorsport and it is one incredibly significant car. With the Cup car sitting low to the track it really does look the business and we think you’ll agree that it has a well deserved place on this list.

Credit: raceofrememberance.com

Stock Global Cup livery

Excuse us for seeming a tad unoriginal but from factory we think the ND Global cup car looks pretty darned special. Aggressive yet modern the lines on this livery compliment the car perfectly, and in red on black it looks the absolute business with pin striping on the aero to boot.

Credit: evo.co.uk

Go4itRacing

Bringing it back to the UK with one of the BRSCC teams and this fantastic God creating Adam style livery on a stealthy matte black base. The grid is a hotbed of great designs and is well worth a look in, also the fantastic standard of racing helps too!

Image from BRSCC Mazda MX-5 Championship Facebook page.
Credit: BRSCC

MX-5 Le Mans livery

Derived from the legendary rotary 787B Le Mans car and deserves a place on this list due to it’s racing pedigree. The iconic orange and green livery was seen on the 1991 MX-5 Le Mans edition to celebrate the big win, but it has also been revived on the Roddisons MK3 car, and might we say it looks incredible!

Credit: Roddisons recovery & Motorsport

Meathead Racing

Our final livery comes from the U.S. branch of the cup and shows that simple and elegant is mighty effective. In metallic blue with orange and navy details this car walks the line between track weapon and dignified sports car, and does so very well.

Credit: caradvice.com.au

Those are just a hand full of some of the great racing MX-5 liveries out there and enough to get you suitably inspired. Do you have a favourite design on an MX-5 past or present that you think should have been on this list? Let us know in the comments below!