Video Recap: JCW Endurance at Nurburgring 24
This weekend MINI competed in the Nurburgring 24 Hours and came away two cars running at the end. It was a test and learn race for MINI but they did a little more cracking into the top 50 at one point. However with 24 hours on the most grueling track in the world and a pair of new cars, things didn’t go perfectly. But still there are a lot of reasons to be excited about the result.
We’ve pulled together the best of the official footage and the behind the scenes to give you a flavor of the weekend’s activities. It’s also the best look yet at the car and the team. And as we find out at the end of the video, it’s a team that will be competing later this year at Spa Francorchamps.
<p>Wow, great footage and the car looks and sounds fantastic.</p>
<p>Wow, great footage and the car looks and sounds fantastic.</p>
<p>do we know the fastes lap for MINI?</p>
<p>Germany is the ultimate car crazy nation. Wish I could have been there. </p>
<p>Germany is the ultimate car crazy nation. Wish I could have been there. </p>
<p>Good video. It provides Coupe coverage quite well — something missing in the Audi online streaming. It would have been nice to include some MINI Challenge hatchbacks as well.</p>
<p>I’m pleased with the whole Coupe concept and execution; big fan and optimistic about the future for it and the Roadster, yadda yadda. BUT, MF, at this point seems focused on the MINI Sport effort of this weekend to the exclusion of the privateers accomplishments. The ‘other’ cars are carrying the water for the entire range yet in road racing. The 24 hrs of the ‘Ring was a big deal and there were more than the two Coupes on the track, one of the hatches doing very well indeed. Doesn’t that merit a mere mention from MF? Just seems something is missing.</p>
<p>Agreed, would like to have seen MINI celebrate its privateers also. While I understand them wanting to celebrate the new car I think its good for the brand to show its support for its cars in general. Then again they may not have wanted to show that the tunned version of the new car is still lacking compared to the stock hatches. Either way sure did enjoy seeing them go around the Ring.</p>
<p>“roll eyes”</p>
<p>Unfair! As far as I know, MF has never claimed to provide “objective” coverage of the MINI brand. They are an unapologetic extension of the MINI marketing machine. Deal with it.</p>
<p>Well I am quite sure that MF got into from MINI and likely little to nothing from the other teams so can’t blame them. I just thought it would be great to see MINI celebrate their privateers also during the race,</p>
<p>I would have loved to have flown over a team of people to cover every single MINI entered. However our resources are tight and we have to rely on what is doable. I would have equally loved to give space to any of them to live-blog about their race. Unfortunately none of that happened. They’re too busy actually preparing the car and racing. That said we would (and will) invite any of them to do just that for 2012. </p>
<p>The problem is that MINI and the teams don’t think of this race as well known enough outside of Germany to put the resources into helping us cover it. As I told MINI, you let us cover it and the race will grow. Provide a live feed (like Audi) and it’ll grow faster. Give it three years and things may be different. </p>
<p>I’m with you: let you cover it and the race will grow. Next year they could make vids and articles starting a few months ahead of time showcasing the history of the event and what it means for world motorsports and MINI/BMW. If they spread the love between the brands, they should be able to show a cost/benefit for providing coverage, be it live feeds or journalists. And if they covered even the privateer teams it would really build up both brands’ images in the eyes of the enthusiast public.</p>
<p>Gabe you guys did a great job for sure. Just was saying that for the MINI vids and the like I think they could have also sneaked in some of the privateers that managed to nail a top ten finish as I think this is good advertisement for the brand also. Either ways I still enjoyed what you guys pulled together and look forward to next year.</p>
<p>Seems to me that the MINI/MF community provided some good content in the comments, include race standings and links to a couple of the teams. Not sure that I was looking for any more than that…but I suppose there is always something to complain about.</p>
<p>Wonderful video. I wish I could take my S to visit Germany :-)</p>
<p>The MINI community did a quick and efficient job with standings, times and more for all the MINI teams in the race and were thanked for it in another posting. All I was looking for too.</p>
<p>Cool video but the last 11 posts have been JCW/Nurburgring related. Can we move on?</p>