Media Information
Dakar Rally 2018
05 January 2018
Dakar Rally 2018
–
MINI Family ready and eager to start Dakar
- Seven MINI crews to contest Dakar 2018.
- Race debut of the all-new MINI John Cooper Works Buggy.
-
Four MINI John Cooper Works Rally also spearhead MINI
challenge to win Dakar – the greatest cross-country rally spectacle.
Munich. The start of the 40th edition of Dakar –
the tenth in its present South America theatre – is now only hours
away. Shakedown testing is complete and the MINI family of seven
international two-man race crews, together with the large support
team from MINI Motorsport partner X-raid, are fully prepared to
undertake the challenges the Dakar will undoubtedly present
throughout its 9,000 km distance that spans 14 race stages.
The 2018 Dakar takes place across three countries with the starting
point in Lima, Peru on Saturday 6th January 2018, before
crossing into Bolivia and onwards to the finish line 14 stages later
in Argentina on 20 January 2018. Each country will feature race stages
that take place across natural splendour, which also happens to host
the toughest cross-country racing conditions known to man and machine.
Desert sand and dunes are equally as tough as the rocky ravines and
mountainsides that will be encountered along the way. Add temperatures
that will range from +40°C to below freezing and racing at more than
3,000-metre altitude, it is understandable why completing Dakar is
considered to an equal result as taking the overall win.
Seven MINI crews are lined up to compete against nature, time and
fellow Dakar four-wheel competitors and all are focused on achieving a
fifth overall Dakar win for MINI. This year’s Dakar will see MINI
battle for this ultimate accolade with three of the all new rear-wheel
drive MINI John Cooper Works Buggy lining up alongside four of the
revered all-wheel drive MINI John Cooper Works Rally.
The three crews behind the controls of the X-raid Team MINI John
Cooper Works Buggy trio consist of the Dakar-experienced Mikko
Hirvonen (FIN) with Andreas Schulz (DEU) as co-driver, and the equally
experienced Yazeed Al Rajhi (KSA) and Timo Gottschalk (DEU). Joining
them as Dakar “rookies” are the American pairing of Bryce Menzies and
Peter Mortensen.
The four MINI John Cooper Works Rally crews also looking to lift the
fifth Dakar title for MINI are all seasoned Dakar veterans. Joan
‘Nani’ Roma (ESP), a former MINI winner of Dakar, will be joined by
Alex Haro (ESP). Fresh from their second-place result within the FIA
Cross Country Rally World Cup is the duo of Jakub ‘Kuba’ Przygonski
(POL) and Tom Colsoul (BEL).
The final two MINI John Cooper Works Rally crews are the Argentine
duo of Orlando Terranova and Bernardo Graue alongside Boris Garafulic
(CHI) and co-driver Filipe Palmeiro (PRT).
Stage 1, Lima-Pisco of Dakar 2018 (6th January 2018) is
considered a warm-up stage to the following 13 Stages. Even so, this
first day’s 31 km special stage is just the start of four days
competition held in hot sandy conditions and is sure to be equally
testing for all Dakar competitors.
Talking ahead of the start to Dakar 2018, Sven Quandt, CEO X-raid,
said: “It’s always our goal to make it onto the Dakar podium –
something that is very possible with the all-new MINI John Cooper
Works Buggy and the latest MINI John Cooper Works Rally. Of course,
there are many variables we can’t control, such as the route, weather
and luck, which is something you definitely need to succeed in the Dakar.”
For more information about Dakar 2018, please visit the host’s event
home page here.
Dakar Rally 2018
: MINI line-up
Driver
Co-driver
#
MINI
Team
Mikko Hirvonen
(FIN)
Andreas
Schulz
(DEU)
305
MINI
John Cooper Works Buggy
X-raid Team
Bryce Menzies
(USA)
Peter
Mortensen
(USA)
310
MINI
John Cooper Works Buggy
X-raid Team
Yazeed Al Rajhi
(KSA)
Timo
Gottschalk
(DEU)
314
MINI
John Cooper Works Buggy
X-raid Team
Joan Roma
(ESP)
Alex Haro
(ESP)
302
MINI John Cooper Works
Rally
X-raid Team
Orlando Terranova
(ARG)
Bernardo
Graue
(Arg)
307
MINI
John Cooper Works Rally
X-raid Team
Jakub Przygonsk
(POL)
Tom
Colsoul
(BEL)
312
MINI
John Cooper Works Rally
Orlen Team
Boris Garafulic
(CHI)
Filipe
Palmeiro
(POR)
317
MINI
John Cooper Works Rally
X-raid Team
Media Contact.
MINI Motorsport Communications
Matthias Schepke
Telephone: +49 (0)151 – 601 90450
Email: matthias.schepke@bmw.de
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