Press release
05 April 2016
Four MINI ALL4 Racing in the top five after Stage 3 of Abu
Dhabi Desert Challenge. Vladimir Vasilyev in second place.
Round 2 of the 2016 FIA Cross Country World Cup: Abu Dhabi Desert
Challenge. Six MINI ALL4 Racing inside top ten.
Munich. The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, round two of
the 2016 FIA Cross Country World Cup is shaping up for an exciting
finale. After Stage3 of this prestigious desert race, four MINI ALL4
Racing are placed within the top five. To further underline the MINI
ALL4 Racing’s long distance desert capability, six MINI ALL4 Racing
fill positions 2nd to 7th place.
At the end of St 3 (Al Ain Water) and four days of intense racing
across the desert stage of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, the Russian
pairing of Vladimir Vasilyev/Konstantin Zhiltsov (#201) have placed
their MINI ALL4 Racing in second place. With two stages to go, it is
still too early for last year’s winner Vasilyev to think about a
repeat win.
“Today showed the true nature of the race – the dunes were very
difficult,” said Vasilyev. “Thankfully there was no rain but I still
drove carefully. Not because it is Konstantin’s birthday today, but to
maintain the fight.”
Yazeed Al Rajhi (KSA) and co-driver Timo Gottschalk (GER) in MINI
ALL4 Racing #204 finished today’s stage in fifth place and presently
sit in third place overall. Despite Al Rajhi’s desert experience, at
one point he too fell victim to the sand, which resulted in a short delay.
Al Rajhi: “We got stuck and had to get out of the car to get free.
This unfortunately lost us time. The last section in the smaller dunes
helped because it was was very fast…”
Jakub Przygonski (POL) and Tom Colsoul (BEL) take up fourth place in
the race standings. Today’s seventh at stage end does not reflect on
the speed of this MINI ALL4 Racing crew. On the opening day’s stadium
Super Special Stage, Przygonski set the fastest time much to the
delight of this amiable man from Poland.
Mikko Hirvonen (FIN) continued his experience of racing in the dunes
with a hard fought third at the end of today’s 280km race. Hirvonen
and co-driver Michel Perin (FRA) are placed fifth overall. After two
day’s racing in cool and wet conditions, the desert heat returned but
didn’t thaw the ice-cool Finnish driver. “No drama! Nothing special,”
said Hirvonen. “We did get stuck several times but not heavy – just
put it in reverse gear and we were fine.”
For American Bryce Menzies, the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge is his
first full FIA long distance desert race and first time inside a MINI
ALL4 Racing… although you wouldn’t think so. With the experienced
Andreas Schulz (GER) by his side, at the opening day’s Super Special
Stage they set the same time as pole setter Jakub Przygonski. Today’s
stage saw them cross the finish line in fourth to place them sixth overall.
United Arab Emirates driver Sh. Khalid Al Qassimi and co-driver
Khalid Al Kendi (Abu Dhabi Racing #203) are the sixth of the MINI ALL4
Racing crews currently placed inside the top ten. Today’s stage netted
a valiant fourth and seventh overall despite Al Qassimi receiving a
back injury during the previous stage.
There are now two stages of just over 490km total left to play out
before the end of the 2016 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge on Thursday 7th April.
2016 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge: MINI ALL4 Racing positions
after St3
Position
Driver
Co-driver
#
Team
Time
2nd
Vladimir Vasilyev
(RUS)
Konstantin Zhiltsov
(RUS)
201
G-Energy Team
11:17:38.0
+15:19.0
3rd
Yazeed Al Rajhi
(KSA)
Timo Gottschalk
(GER)
204
X-raid Team
11:24:32.0
+22:13.0
4th
Jakub Przygonski
(POL)
Tom Colsoul (BEL)
209
X-raid
Team
11:32:47.0
+30:28.0
5th
Mikko Hirvonen
(FIN)
Michel Perin (FRA)
205
X-raid
Team
11:39:07.0
+36:48.0
6th
Bryce Menzies
(USA)
Andreas Schulz
(GER)
211
X-raid Team
11:40:17.0
+37:58.0
7th
Sh. Khalid Al
Qassimi (ARE)
Khalid Al Kendi
(ARE)
203
Abu Dhabi Racing
11:54:55.0
+52:36.0
28th
Stephan Schott
(GER)
Holm Schmidt (GER)
210
X-raid
Team
19:12:51.0
+8:10:32.0
Race calendar: 2016 FIA World Cup for Cross Country Rallies.
19/02 – 22/02 Baja Russia
02/04 – 7/04 Abu Dhabi Desert
Challenge
17/04 – 22/04 Sealine Cross-Country Rally Qatar
08/05 – 15/05 Pharaons Rally
23/06 – 26/06 Italian Baja
22/07 – 24/07 Baja Aragón
11/08 – 14/08 HunGarian Baja
25/08 – 28/08 Baja Poland
03/10 – 08/10 Rallye Oilibya du Maroc
21/10 – 23/10 Baja
Portalegre 500
Find reports, photos and videos in high resolution of previous MINI
ALL4 Racing activity on the BMW Media Website by clicking here.