2017 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge – Round 3, FIA Cross Country Rally World Cup

– MINI success at Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge with third place result.
– Mohamed Abu Issa with co-driver Xavier Panseri snatch third place in dramatic final race stage.
– Two crews of the MINI Family complete a “challenging” race.

The 27th edition of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge finished today after a final 234 km (Stage 5) of tough desert action. Once again the desert terrain threw up unexpected challenges – a theme that has run the length of this annual event.

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2017 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge – Round 3, FIA Cross Country Rally World Cup

– Severe heat and dunes play havoc with competitors of the 2017 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge.
– Two MINI crews sit inside top five overall after Special Stage 2.
– Mohamed Abu Issa with co-driver Xavier Panseri in fourth place.
– Vladimir Valisyev and Konstantin Zhiltsov are fifth. Stephan Schott and Andreas Schulz in sixth.

2017 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge – Round 3, FIA Cross Country Rally World Cup

– Three international crews from the MINI Family line up for the first long distance desert race of the season.
– Mohamed Abu Issa and co-driver Xavier Panseri on course to further their excellent start to the 2017 FIA Cross Country Rally World Cup.
– Stephan Schott and Andreas Schulz form an all-German crew.
– Russian duo Vladimir Valisyev and Konstantin Zhiltsov look to make it their third Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge title with MINI.

2017 Dakar Rally – Leading MINI John Cooper Works rally car completes final stage (Stage 12): Rio Cuarto – Buenos Aires, 786 km in 6th overall

– All three MINI John Cooper Works Rally cars complete their first Dakar
– Three MINI in the top 10 despite extreme challenges of this event
– 7 out of 8 MINI entries complete full 2017 Dakar distance
Another exciting yet challenging Dakar has come to an end today with all three new MINI John Cooper Works Rally cars successfully completing their first ever Dakar – demonstrating that the newest cars in the family are set to follow in the ultra-reliable tyre tracks of their predecessor, the MINI ALL4 Racing. Seven out of all eight MINI competitors who entered the 2017 Dakar completed the route.

The 2017 Dakar has, as always, delivered a unique set of challenges for the drivers and co-drivers brave enough to tackle it. Poor weather conditions and related flooding have caused the cancellation of two stages and a reduction in distance of others, leading to the loss of some of the most technical parts of the track from the course and a total distance of 1,400 km less than planned.

2017 Dakar Rally – Stage 11: San Juan – Rio Cuarto, 759 km

– 3rd place stage finish for Terranova
– Al Rajhi completes Stage 11 in 5th
– Top five in reach for Terranova as 2017 Dakar enters the final stage

The penultimate stage of the 2017 Dakar took the competitors to the sand dunes of San Juan to do battle on a WRC-type track in the Cordoba region.

2017 Dakar Rally – Stage 10: Chilecito – San Juan, 751 km

– Al Rajhi returns to form with 4th place stage finish
– Terranova completes today’s stage in 5th; now 6th overall
– Garafulic now in 7th place overall; Przygonski 8th

After another cancelled leg of the route (Stage 9) yesterday, racing resumed at the 2017 Dakar today as the competitors departed from Chilecito to complete 751 more gruelling kilometres to reach the Stage 10 end at San Juan.

2017 Dakar Rally – Stage 8: Uyuni – Salta

– 4th place stage finish for Hirvonen
– Terranova completes today’s stage in 6th
– Four MINI remain in the overall top 10

The poor weather conditions continued for Stage 8 of the 2017 Dakar today, with the organisers making the decision to shorten another section of the route. The first change to the road book was made early in the day with the shortening of the first part of the special by 73km to restart at the border with Argentina.

2017 Dakar Rally – Stage 7: La Paz – Uyuni, 622 km

– Hirvonen returns to form with 4th place stage finish
– Top 10 stage finishes for Al Rajhi, Garafulic and Terranova
– Hirvonen maintains top five position overall

A full day’s racing resumed at the 2017 Dakar today, with a revised Stage 7 route that integrated some of the locations from the cancelled Stage 6 into the road book.

2017 Dakar Rally – Stage 5: Tupiza – Oruro, shortened from 692 km to 219km

– Four MINI cars remain in the top ten overall
– Al Rajhi re-joins the 2017 Dakar, subject to appeal
– Terranova finishes 8th in today’s stage, Przygonski in 9th

All drivers faced a much shorter route than expected on Stage 5 of the 2017 Dakar today, following a decision by race organisers to reduce the route from 692 km to 219 km. Poor weather conditions on the way to the original destination of Oruro meant the second part of the day’s track was no longer negotiable.

2017 Dakar Rally – Stage 4: San Salvador de Jujuy – Tupiza, 521 km

– Hirvonen climbs to 3rd overall after 2nd place finish in today’s stage
– Przygonski 7th overall ahead of Terranova in 8th
– Best ever stage performance for Garafulic; now 9th overall

Stage 4 of the 2017 Dakar proved eventful today, but it was successful for many of the MINI competitors, with six pairings continuing to improve on their overall position in the standings despite the challenges of this tough stage.