MINI X-raid Team Crashes out at Dakar
It’s over. MINI is out at Dakar thanks to a dramatic accident. Guerlain Chicherit had an accident behind the wheel of the MINI Countryman during a test drive he took on the rest day in Arica. The X-Raid Team driver suffered from a head trauma, which – fortunately – did not need for him to be taken to the Arica hospital; Chicherit was just kept under observation in the medical antenna of the rally organization on Saturday evening.
The Countryman on the other hand didn’t fare as well being terminally damaged in the accident. According to Sven Quandt, X-Raid Team Manager the car flipped end-over-end a couple of time before coming to rest. The team looked into repairing the Countryman but a lack of time and parts ruled out that possibility. (various videos after the break)
Stage 2 Recap
Stage 1 Recap
The video below (taken Friday) represents one of the last stages MINI competed in before the crash.
<p>Bummer! Bad luck. Glad everyone is OK.</p>
<p>Lets just hope that theWRC team does better!</p>
<p>They actually had a pretty decent run. When it comes to Dakar wining and being knocked out is a huge amount of luck. Any driver and car can be knocked out at any time. Sad that it had to happen during a rest day. Glad Guerlain Chicherit made it out ok with fairly minor injuries.</p>
<p>As for WRC I think MINI will do ok but I seriously doubt we will see them on the top spot of the podium anytime soon. They are going up against very good drivers, well established teams and cars. I don’t doubt the ability of BMW racing and ProDrive but believe most if not all of this year will be getting through the teething problems. I will be cheering ProDrive.</p>
<p>a picture what the Dakar Mini looked like shortly after the crash , can be found here:
<a href="http://twitpic.com/3ohccw" rel="nofollow ugc">http://twitpic.com/3ohccw</a></p>
<p>I wouldn’t say “knocked out”… I’d say more “drove off”….</p>
<p>Anyway, with a hew car there’s always a learning curve…. Glad everyone is OK</p>
<p>Matt</p>
<p>A bit of a shame it went so pear shaped. Reading the X-raid rest day press release (before the accident) is interesting, in as much as Chicherit was saying how he was going to drive the rest of the event conservatively to ensure they crossed the finish line.</p>
<p>Oops!</p>
<p>You can see more of the wreckage on the Dakar highlights clip: <a href="http://ausm.tv/5l" rel="nofollow ugc">http://ausm.tv/5l</a></p>
<p>What better way to test? Looks like it shed a serious amount of energy – just like it is supposed to…. and to virtually walk away. I don’t class this as a fail, it’s a job well done!
You need to break a few eggs to make an omelette!</p>
<p>The MINI was only tested for about 300 km prior to the race. That’s shorter than many of the race’s stages. It’s nothing short of remarkable that Chicherit and MINI were placing 7th fairly consistently.</p>
<p>After sheering off a rear brake rotor on day one and finishing 74th for that stage, the MINI was sitting in the #9 spot overall when this unfortunate crash happened.</p>
<p>MINI Countryman Dakar stage finishes:</p>
<p>stage 1 — 74th (sheered off brake rotor)</p>
<p>stage 2 — 7th</p>
<p>stage 3 — 9th</p>
<p>stage 4 — 7th</p>
<p>stage 5 — 12th (crashed in a ditch; MINI unharmed)</p>
<p>stage 6 — 7th (moved to #9 overall)</p>
<p>Can’t wait for next year’s race!</p>
<p>Having gone onto the roof of my class 12 SCORE racer I can tell you that HURT!</p>
<p>This makes me want to cry. I hope that this doesn’t scare MINI away from Dakar or racing.</p>
<p>Apparently, the Countryman was out shooting a promotional spot for German TV when the crash happened.</p>
<p>… so maybe there’s video out there somewhere. =)</p>