MINI John Cooper Works for the 24h race at the Nürburgring!

Recently updated on August 17, 2023 at 02:34 am

The 24-hour race at the Nürburgring is considered the ultimate endurance test for man and machine. The 50th edition of the high-speed showdown will take place this year from May 26th to 29th on the 25,378-kilometre circuit consisting of the Grand Prix circuit and the legendary Nordschleife of the Nürburgring, with a MINI John Cooper Works taking part. In September of last year, the Bulldog Racing project got underway in the Eifel, just a few meters from the Nordschleife. The vehicle used is a MINI John Cooper Works with the four-cylinder turbo engine known from the MINI John Cooper Works Clubman and MINI John Cooper Works Countryman with 225 kW/306 hp and a maximum torque of 450 Nm. The 8-speed Steptronic transmission from the large series with an integrated, mechanical differential lock with a locking effect of up to 70% ensures that the drive torque is converted into exciting performance without loss.

with racing modifications

For racing, the following modifications were made to the standard MINI John Cooper Works vehicle in addition to the regulations for the SP3T class:

• Installation of a racing cage specially developed for this model.
• Enlargement of the tank volume to 100 liters.
• Extensive interventions in the aerodynamics, including an adjustable rear wing, a fully clad underbody, a rear diffuser and front splitter.
• Consistent weight reduction, for example through the use of Makrolon® discs.
• Model-specific racing suspension with adjustable rebound and compression.
• Replacement of all moving chassis and suspension parts with reinforced Uniball bearings
• Installation of a pneumatic lifting system
• Adaptation of the sports exhaust system with racing catalyst
• Use of original BMW M Performance brake components.

MINI in motorsport

• Pat Moss wrote motorsport history in 1962 and scored MINI's first international rally victory at the Tulip Rally. Their victory was the prelude to the Classic Mini's unique success story in rallying, with 3 overall victories in the Monte Carlo Rally in 1964 (Paddy Hopkirk), 1965 (Timo Mäkinen) and 1967 (Rauno Aaltonen). This series of successes added up to six overall victories in the Dakar Rally in 2012 (Leonid Novitskiy), 2013 (Stéphane Peterhansel), 2014 (Nani Roma), 2015 (Nasser Al-Attiyah), 2020 (Carlos Sainz Sr.) and 2021 (Stéphane Peter Hansel).

The MINI John Cooper Works racing car "Made in Nürburg" is designed as a homage to the racing tradition of the MINI brand in the classic red and white color scheme of the racing cars of the 1960s.

Sporty schedule!

Only seven months passed from the start of the project to the roll-out at the end of March 2022. In the coming weeks and until the start of the 24-hour race, further tests are planned on the Nürburgring's Nordschleife and in the BMW Group test center in Miramas in southern France. Located between Marseille and Avignon, the former racetrack offers the best conditions for extensive testing and optimization under a wide variety of conditions. The chassis of the MINI John Cooper Works racing car is subjected to an extensive and diverse test program there.

Friedhelm Thelen, Nürburgring expert and team principal of Bulldog Racing, knows how important extensive testing is before a race: “The 24-hour race on the Nürburgring is an extreme stress for all components of the vehicle. We are therefore very pleased to be able to use the BMW Group test center to put the John Cooper Works through its paces there.” The BMW Group has been testing new models and innovative chassis technology at the Miramas test site since 1986. The driver line-up and further racing program for 2022 will be announced at a later date.

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MINI John Cooper Works returns to the 24h race at the Nürburgring.
Photo credit: Mini (BMW Group) / Bulldog racing

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