MINIs in 24H Barcelona (2012)

5 MINIs! That's right, 5 MINIs, including both of the endurance Coupes that competed in the 24H in Germany before the Coupe was actually launched.

The next round of the 2012 24H Series comes this weekend at the Circuit de Catalunya. If I've done the math right the race starts Saturday at 6am Eastern. Don't know yet how it will be covered but RadioLeMans.com is a good bet.

Five Ready for the Long Distance. (MiniMotorsport.com)

 

About 7.5 hours in, the MINIs are running 11, 14, 16, 41 and 48 overall in a field that started with (I think) 56 cars.

Live timing and other info available at: 24 Hours Barcelona - 24H Barcelona : endurance racing for touring cars, GT cars and 24H Specials by 24H Series

 

The MINI running 11th (1st in class, I'm sure) is the gray Schirra Motoring car on the right, below:

 

14.5 hours to go and they're now up to 8th. Others are 13th, 15th, 42nd, 45th.

 

Now 7th, 12th, 16th, 42nd, 44th.

 

With 10 hours to go the Schirra MINI is up to 6th, the Besaplast is up to 10th, others 32nd, 42nd, 44th.

Here's video from the start, check out some of the competition:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fckto66HmLw]Sortida 24 Hores de Barcelona d'Automobilisme-Trofeu Fermí Vélez 2012 - YouTube[/ame]

 

According to a recap (here), the Shirra MINI was doing well until it needed a supercharger change and then they dropped down the order (finished 18th overall, 570 laps).

The class winner was the Besaplast MINI, finishing 7th overall with 595 laps, 45 laps back of the race winning McLaren MP4-12 GT3 (640 laps).

Other MINIs finished 23rd (564 laps, Team Partl Motorsport 2) and 36th (484 laps, s.i.g. Motorsport 1, the Coupé). The s.i.g. Motorsport 2 MINI retired after 398 laps.

Full results here.

 

Besaplast MINI Celebrates Class Victory. (MiniMotorsport.com)