MINI Dakar

A win and two second places in the FIA World Cup for Cross Country Rallies. A third of the way into the season, the X-raid Team boasts a solid record with its MINI ALL4 Racings.

Official news from MINI Motorsport: After back-to-back victories at the Dakar Rally, the Monster Energy X-raid Team started the new season as it ended the last – successfully. Despite the triumphs at the toughest endurance rally in the world, Team Principal Sven Quandt’s outfit is still hungry for success. This bodes well for fans of the X-raid Team, which has put its faith in the reliable performance of the MINI ALL4 Racing for years now. The team, which once again lined up with one of the most cosmopolitan crews at the latest Dakar, once again has an excellent record already this season.

A third of the way into the season, the X-raid Team already has a win and two second places to its name at events in the FIA World Cup for Cross Country Rallies. Nani Roma claimed the first victory since success at the Dakar, winning the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge in January this year. Roma, who finished fourth at the Dakar, came home almost 27 minutes ahead of the field in the emirate’s sweeping desert on the Persian Gulf. His team-mate Krzysztof Holowczyc had previously finished runner-up at the opening round of the World Cup, the Baja Italy. Holowczyc has now confirmed his promising early-season form with another second place at the cross country rally in Qatar.

Highly-motivated start to the season.
Quandt has every reason to be optimistic. “Following our second victory at the Rally Dakar, the entire team has started the new season full of motivation. After our recent success, we are happy with the way the season has panned out so far,” says the team principal. “We were once again able to rely on the MINI ALL4 Racing, and everyone in the team did an outstanding job.” The X-raid Team will be hoping this trend continues, particularly with the Rally Dakar in January 2014 at the back of its mind. Eleven-time Dakar winner Stéphane Peterhansel has already confirmed that he will be returning to defend his title. As well as the Frenchman, Quandt will once again line up with more MINI ALL4 Racings at the most famous endurance rally in the world.

However, the start of the 2014 Dakar is still a long way off, and the X-raid Team will use further starts in the World Cup for Cross Country Rallies between now and then to ensure it is in top form when it heads to South America. Next stop in the World Cup is the Baja Spain, which begins on 19th June. That may still be a couple of months away, but the X-raid Team is already working systematically towards the next outings. And the drivers are absolutely desperate to get back behind the wheel. Take Nani Roma, for example, who recently lined up in his own privately modified MINI at the Rally Cervera in Spain. Not only did Nani have a lot of fun on the stages in front of his home fans, but he also finished an excellent second in his MINI. Success appears to be obligatory for the X-raid Team.

Source: MINI