Dakar 2014

The Official MINI Dakar Day 2 Press Release

2014 Dakar Rally: Peterhansel claims day 2 victory in the MINI ALL4 Racing, takes the overall Dakar lead.

Munich (DE). On only the second day of the 2014 Dakar Rally, Stéphane Peterhansel (FR) behind the wheel of his #300 MINI ALL4 Racing entered by the Monster Energy X-raid Team enjoyed a compelling run through the 433 timed kilometres of the second Dakar leg. The eleven-time Dakar champion and winner of the 2012 and 2013 Dakar in the MINI ALL4 Racing sealed the day victory, 28 seconds ahead of Carlos Sainz (ES), which also propelled him into the overall lead of the 36th Dakar edition.

Apart from Peterhansel’s strong performance, the second leg which took the 145 competitors in the cars category from San Luis (AR) to San Rafael (AR) was also a good one for Petershansel’s team-mates. Heading into day 3, a total of six MINI ALL4 Racing rank in the top ten of the overall classifications with Nasser Al-Attiyah (QT) in third, Joan “Nani†Roma (ES) in fourth and Orlando Terranova (AR), who was Sunday’s top driver in a MINI ALL4 Racing, in fifth. Krzystof Holowczyc (PL) is eighth and Federico Villagra ( AR) tenth.
“All I can say is congratulations to Stéphane Peterhansel and the Monster Energy X-raid Team,†say Jochen Goller, Senior Vice President MINI. “Today it became clear again how well-prepared the whole team is. The performance of the MINI ALL4 Racing was superb again. Now, I am keeping my fingers crossed for the challenges ahead, while I am confident that we will see more good results during the upcoming days.â€

A total of eleven MINI ALL4 Racing compete in the 2014 Dakar. All are based on the MINI John Cooper Works Countryman, modified by the factory-supported X-raid Team to meet the high demands of the Dakar Rally which is today’s pinnacle of off-road motorsports. With a combination of power, reliability and efficiency the MINI ALL4 Racing proved its competiveness right from its first Dakar start in 2011 while also winning the hearts of the fans from the word go. On only its second Dakar appearance, the MINI ALL4 Racing made the big breakthrough by winning the 2012 Dakar Rally. In 2013 the MINI brand proved that its Dakar success was no flash in the pan by defending its title at the first attempt. This year, the X-raid Team and the MINI brand are aiming at clinching their third consecutive Dakar title when the 2014 Dakar ends in Valparaiso, Chile, on 18th January.

 

Day 3: MINI 1-2-3 Overall

One-two-three overall for MINI at the Dakar // Roma and Holowczyc taking the Andes’ first foothills by storm.

fter the perfect run by the reigning Dakar champion Stéphane Peterhansel (FR) in his black MINI ALL4 Racing at the 2014 Dakar Rally on Monday, the third competitive day of the world’s toughest endurance rally was another good one for the Monster Energy X-raid Team as well as the MINI brand. Joan “Nani†Roma (ES) in the yellow MINI ALL4 Racing and Krzystof Holowczyc (PL) in the red MINI ALL4 Racing claimed a one-two on the third Dakar leg which took the competitors via 301 timed kilometres from San Rafael to San Juan (both AR) and into the first foothills of the Argentinean Andes – a terrain well-suited for the MINI ALL4 Racing in which it could prove his core strengths: power, reliability and efficiency.

Meanwhile Nasser Al-Attiyah (QT) in his predominantly white MINI ALL4 Racing put the icing on the cake for the X-raid Team and the MINI brand. By finishing the day seventh, Al-Attiyah climbed to third in the overall classification. So the MINI brand holds a one-two-three overall with Roma in first, Orlando Terranova (AR), who finished fourth for the day, in second and Al-Attiyah in third heading into the fourth competitive Dakar day. “It was a good day for us, and leading the Dakar Rally definitely feels great,†says Roma. “We know that the race for the 2014 Dakar title is still a long one. But today gives us an extra motivation.â€

Day four will see the longest special stage at the Dakar Rally since the historic route from Zouerat to Tichit (both MR) in 2005. The drivers must cross rivers, negotiate ravines, and be wary of the opposition. The route on day four features expansive spaces, making overtaking relatively easy. At the same time, the special stage to Chilecito (AR) is also the longest on the 2014 Dakar for the cars.

 

Peterhansel - Terribble Day...we had 6 punctures

It really was a terrible day for me. Since I've been driving a car I've never had punctures like today. We had 6 punctures. One at the beginning was my fault because we hit a big rock, but after there was some modification in the road-book and it was necessary to cross some vegetation. I was the first car and I think because I ‘cleaned away' a bit of vegetation, after this place I had two or three slow punctures. I think it was a small piece of wood inside the tyre. What can I do? It was necessary to cross the vegetation and I was the first car. After that I think that for the other cars it was a little bit cleaner and easier but it was too late for me

Terranova - Gave a spare tire to Peterhansel

We started nicely with a good rythym. We caught up with Nasser, but it was impossible to overtake. Then we caught Giniel de Villiers and they had a puncture. I went past, but I had a puncture after. We changed the wheel and we didn't catch up. But then in the middle of the rio there was Stéphane without any spare tyres, so I decided to stop to give him a tyre. Because of that we lost a little time, but we are here at the finish and we are happy.

Roma - Sometimes Dakar is crazy

You know, sometimes the Dakar is crazy and this stage was like that. The drivers in front of me had some problems and I tried to be really concentrated all through the stage and not make mistakes. Anyway, I've got here and I'm happy, but on the Dakar Valparaiso is still far. We need to be like that and really concentrate every day.

 

Not a Car but a bike, check out the scenery here

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIqLfAAY8R0]EN - Stage 3 - Car / Bike - Top Moment - San Rafael / San Juan - YouTube[/ame]