MINI WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM PIAA is the official Partner for Lighting and Wipers of The MINI World Rally Championship Team - www.minimotorsport.com

PRESS RELEASE: 12 Feb 2012

RALLY SWEDEN

Patrik Sandell has finished eighth at Rally Sweden today and the highest placed local driver on his debut in the MINI John Cooper Works WRC. The Swedish driver finished the day in the same position he started and extended his lead over the chasing driver, Prokop.

It has been a very strong debut for the Swede in his first outing in a World Rally Car with only established and far more experienced WRC drivers ahead of him. Sandell was in eighth position after stage one and, except for one stage, maintained this position throughout the event.

There was disappointment in the team that Dani Sordo had to retire on Friday while he was running in fifth place. The loss of the water pump drive belt caused his engine to overheat resulting in damage that meant he could not return under rally 2. Having led the rally after the first stage, Dani was showing a strong pace on the MINI WRC’s snow debut and the team fully expected him to maintain this fifth place for the event.

The Prodrive team will now return to Banbury to prepare for a development test on the MINI WRC later this month. In March the team will introduce a number of performance enhancements on the engine, chassis and aerodynamics ready for the MINI WRC’s next outing on the World Rally Championship.

Dave Wilcock, team principal:

“Patrik has a very mature rallying head on his shoulders. He has maintained a consistent pace throughout the rally, managed his Michelin tyres very well and hasn’t put a mark on the car. He has achieved all his goals and to be honest, eighth place is a good as he and we could have hoped for on his debut with so many experienced WRC drivers ahead of him. I think he has a great future and I fully expect him to be challenging for podiums. I was also pleased to see how well everyone in the team got behind Patrik, encouraging him every step of the way. We are homologating a number of new parts for the MINI on March 1st and these will all be on the car the next time we compete.”

Patrik Sandell:

“It’s been a fantastic experience and to finish in eighth on my debut in a World Rally Car with so many great drivers ahead me is a very good result. The balance of the MINI WRC has been really good and it is so easy to drive fast.

Over the weekend my speed has been coming more and more and I hope next time out in a WRC to be in the top five and after that to aim for a podium. The way the Prodrive team has supported me has been fantastic and I have learnt so much from them. Without their support I don’t think I would have improved so much during the weekend.”

PRESS RELEASE: 22nd January 2012

17th – 22nd January - 1st of 13 rounds of the FIA World Rally Championship

MINI CLAIMS SECOND STEP ON PODIUM IN MONTE CARLO

Monaco, 22nd January 2012. The MINI WRC Team concluded the fifth and final day of the Monte Carlo Rally by bringing Dani Sordo (ES) and Carlos del Barrio (ES) and Pierre Campana (FR) and Sabrina de Castelli (FR) to the finish on the principality’s harbourside second and seventh respectively. This was only the team’s seventh FIA World Rally Championship event, but it was the third podium for the Spanish crew.

The sun was shining and the roads were dry for the final stage of the rally - the 5.16 kilometre Power Stage at Ste Agnès – Col de la Madone – but this didn’t mean it was an easy stage. It was twisty and narrow and all the crews knew it could be difficult. Sordo set the fourth fastest time, while Campana was tenth quickest, despite suffering a problem with the power steering on his MINI John Cooper Works WRC. This stage was the 18th of the rally, which included 433.36 kilometres of competitive mileage in its total distance of 1,780.47 kilometres. The top three went to the Place du Palais Princier in front of the royal palace for the prize giving, and there will be a Gala Dinner in the Sporting Club this evening.

Dirk Hollweg, Head of MINI Motorsport:
“I am very happy that the brand has returned to this legendary event and scored a very impressive result with not just Dani on the podium, but also Pierre really doing a great job for such a relatively inexperienced driver. It was even more gratifying for us to see the results of the other members of the MINI Motorsport family, as the privateers also put in some impressive results. The fans are always really enthusiastic here and make a special atmosphere on the entire rally. They really welcomed us back to our old hunting ground, and we were proud to give them this result.”

Dave Wilcock, Team Principal:
“This is my first event as Team Principal so to get a second in Monte Carlo with the MINI WRC Team is absolutely fantastic. Obviously we are all extremely pleased. We had all our fingers crossed wanting to get through the Power Stage with no problems. Dani was fourth quickest through it, which is fine, even though we were hoping for another drivers’ championship point, but what you want doesn’t always happen! We are extremely happy with the result as both Dani and Pierre have done very good jobs for the team. The whole team has worked so hard for this and it is well deserved.”

Dani Sordo (MINI John Cooper Works WRC No 37):
“We had no problems at all today. Yesterday I was ‘sleeping’ a little bit in the stages so lost a bit of time to Petter, but I am happy with the result. This is great for both me and the team. I think the crucial decision was the tyres we used on day three when we had snow on stage12. Petter (Solberg) lost time to me there and this was really important, as to be honest we took it a bit carefully and he was fast. Without this stage he would have been really close. Being second for the second time for our new team is really, really good.”

Pierre Campana (MINI John Cooper Works WRC No 52):
“I have really enjoyed this rally. It is a very good result for me and I have made good progress on every day. The car really feels nice and I am happy with this performance, which is my best WRC result. The Power Stage was very narrow and twisty, and it was unfortunate I had a problem with the power steering. As you can imagine this made turning the car a bit difficult.”

PRESS RELEASE: 12th January 2012

Monte Carlo Rally- 17th – 22nd January
1st of 13 rounds of the FIA World Rally Championship

Munich, 13th January, 2012. Rally fans will be able to celebrate a double return next week when the first round of the 2012 FIA World Rally Championship is held. Even though the MINI WRC Team will be taking part in the Monte Carlo Rally for the first time, this is an event that the Mini-Cooper ‘S’ won three times in the sixties, and the rally will be back in the WRC for the first time since 2008.

Flying the MINI flag will be Dani Sordo (ES) and Carlos del Barrio (ES) in the MINI John Cooper Works WRC number 37, and newcomers to the works team, Pierre Campana (FR) and Sabrina de Castelli (FR), in the number 52 sister car. Sordo, a veteran of 91 WRC starts, proved how quick he was last year by gaining two podiums for the team in Germany and France in its testing year. Campana made his WRC debut with a customer MINI in 2011 and in Rally France finished ninth overall. He is no stranger to the Monte Carlo Rally where he won the IRC 2WD Cup last year, and even co-drove on it in 2008. Pierre’s career has been supported by the French motorsport federation, the FFSA, who also gave its backing to Sébastien Loeb (FR) in his early career.

For 2012, David Richards passes the role of team principal to the team’s technical director, Dave Wilcock. Wilcock will combine the two roles and will be supported by team manager, Campbell Roy. Richards will continue to oversee the MINI WRC Team and will attend many of the events in 2012, mentoring Wilcock in the new role. “It was always my intention to take a step back in the team’s second season and pass the responsibility over to Dave,” said David Richards, chairman of Prodrive. “During the last year he has proved he has all the right skills to lead the team and I have no doubt the MINI WRC Team will continue to go from strength to strength under his leadership.”

Both drivers have been in France this week testing ahead of the event. Campana was driving on Monday and Sordo on Tuesday. They then moved locations to where they would be guaranteed snow and the drivers completed half a day each.

Dave Wilcock, Team Principal:
“It would be incredible to go to the Monte Carlo Rally for the first time in more than 40 years and replicate the feats of the original Mini Coopers in the 1960s. However we have to be realistic about this event, where tyre choice on some part snow covered stages can be a lottery. Still, much of the route is new for everyone and we have proved in 2011 just how competitive the MINI John Cooper Works WRC is. I know Dani is eager to get back behind the wheel, while Pierre is keen to impress his local fans.”

Dani Sordo (MINI John Cooper Works WRC No 37):
“This is a rally I like very much as the stages are really nice. I can’t remember exactly how many times I have done it, but it could be three times. We have been testing and that has gone very well, so I am happy with the car. The most important thing is to do tyre testing and we have been able to do this with Michelin, so I know we have some very good tyres. The issue will be the conditions as at the moment it is dry with very little snow. However, this can change very quickly.”

Pierre Campana (MINI John Cooper Works WRC No 52):
“I am thrilled to have been selected by MINI to join its squad for Monte Carlo following our achievements last year. It is a rally I know well and enjoy. I won the 2WD class last year, so I am pleased to bring my experience and to showcase my abilities on such a competitive event. I have enjoyed my time driving the MINI John Cooper Works WRC car in WRC and French championship events in 2011 with Drive-Pro and together with the French Federation support, and I am honoured to be able to continue my association with this tremendous manufacturer into 2012 with this Monte Carlo participation.”

Dirk Hollweg, Head of MINI Motosport:
"After what, from a sporting point of view, was a very successful 2011 season for us with our MINI John Cooper Works WRC in the World Rally Championship, we are now looking forward to the start of the 2012 season at the Monte Carlo Rally. We have a big tradition at this event, which has been the scene of some fantastic successes for us. The new season starts here with Dani Sordo and Pierre Campana in the MINI WRC Team, as well as with our MINI privateers, and we are hoping to score more positive results for the MINI Motorsport family."

History and Background:
No true rally fan will ever forget the Monte Carlo Rally exploits of the Minis in the sixties with wins for Paddy Hopkirk (GB) in 1964, Timo Mäkinen (FI) in 1965 and Rauno Aaltonen (FI) in 1967. The brand even returned last year to take part in the Historic Monte Carlo Rally with Aaltonen (FI) at the wheel. However, it is now the MINI John Cooper Works WRC that will herald the first works car from the marque in this iconic event since 1968.

The 80th Monte Carlo Rally is back in the FIA World Rally Championship after an absence of three years. This year’s event is considerably longer than the majority in the WRC as it run over five days. It also has different locations for its start and finish. The start is in the town of Valence in the Drôme region, which is in south eastern France, 105 kilometres south of Lyon on the left bank of the river Rhône. Meanwhile, as would be expected, the finish is in the principality of Monaco.

There will be a ceremonial start at the Champs de Mars in Valence at 18.00 on Tuesday, 17th January, but the first stages will not be until the next day. On Wednesday the first car will leave Valence at 08.00 and then return there for service and an overnight halt at 17.52. During the day there will be a lunch time service in Valence and the cars will compete on four stages, covering 134.70 kilometres of competition in an overall route of 471.82 kilometres.

On the 19th January the first car will leave Parc Fermé at 07.55 for another six stages over 131.76 competitive kilometres on a route that is 441.96 kilometres long. Again there will be a service back in Valence halfway through the day.

Day three starts in Valence with the first car out of Parc Fermé at 08.44. The competitors return for a service at lunch time, but this is the last time the rally goes back to Valence before it heads to Monaco, where the first car is due that evening at 19.59. There are just three stages which total 77.30 kilometres, but the total mileage is 545.72 kilometres.

The Monaco start on day four is late as the first car is not due out of Parc Fermé until13.15. The cars return for service at 17.53 and then the end of the day’s competition sees the first car into final service for the day at 21.32. In terms of total distance the crews travel 272.50 kilometres and the four stages are a total of 84.44 kilometres.

The final and fifth leg is very short with just one stage over 5.16 kilometres in a total distance of 48.47 kilometres. The first car leaves the Monaco Parc Fermé at 09.05, the stage – the Power Stage at Ste Agnes – Col de la Madone – starts at 10.11, and the first car is due back into Parc Fermé at Quai Antoine 1er for the finish at 11.17. In total there will be 433.36 kilometres over stages in a total distance of 1,780.47 kilometres. There will be a Prize Giving at 15.00 at Place de Palais Princier and then, in true Monegasque style, there will be a Gala Dinner at the Sporting Club at 20.30.