Media Information
2017 Dakar Rally
01 January 2017
MINI Family ready and waiting for the start of the 2017 Dakar Rally
- 2017 Dakar Rally is debut race for the new MINI John Cooper Works Rally
- Terranova and Schulz to compete in a MINI John Cooper Works Rally
- Brazilian rally duo Barros and Capoani join the MINI family at Dakar
Munich. The 2017 Dakar Rally (2-14th January) is
only hours away from its eagerly awaited starting time. Over 300
vehicles consisting of cars, trucks motorcycles and quads carrying
nearly 500 competitors are readied and waiting for the start of the
greatest off-road racing spectacle to be devised. When the start
flag drops, 316 vehicles will contest 9000 km of varied terrain, the
elements and each other to achieve the honour of completing the
Dakar Rally.
Three countries will play their part in the 39th edition
of the Dakar Rally. The starting point this year is Asunción, the
capital city of Paraguay. As the 12 stages of the 2017 Dakar Rally
unfolds; the competitors will cross into Bolivia before completing
(14th January) in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Already in place after scrutineering and ready for the start are the
eight MINI crews that make up this year’s MINI Family to contest the
2017 Dakar Rally.
Unfortunately, Bryce Menzies (USA) has had to step back from this
year’s Dakar after a previous injury required surgery and further
rehabilitation. Although a difficult decision to make with only a few
days to go to the start of the 2017 Dakar Rally, X-raid and Menzies
jointly opted for a ‘health-first’ approach in order to achieve a full
recovery before the 2017 racing season.
The X-raid Team MINI John Cooper Works Rally of Menzies and co-driver
Peter Mortensen (USA) will now be raced by the very experienced duo of
Orlando Terranova (ARG) and co-driver Andreas Schulz (GER).
Talking before the start of the 2017 Dakar Rally, fellow X-raid Team
driver Mikko Hirvonen (FIN), who finished fourth in his first Dakar
race in 2016, said: “Nothing still beats the experience from the Dakar
itself so we just need to be humble and concentrate really hard for
each day.” Hirvonen is joined in the cockpit of the new MINI John
Cooper Works Rally with his regular co-driver Michel Périn (FRA).
Also at the controls of a new MINI John Cooper Works Rally is the
pairing of Yazeed Al-Rajhi (KSA) and co-driver Timo Gottschalk (GER).
Like the rest of the MINI Family, Al-Rajhi is ready and waiting to
start the 2017 Dakar Rally: “Everything is in place: I have a great
car; a great co-pilot with Timo; and a great team to support us.”
Five other crews make up the MINI Family competing at the 2017 Dakar
Rally to make it a truly international family of cross-country rally specialists.
Jakub Przygonski (POL) and Tom Colsoul (BEL) compete at Dakar under
the banner of ORLEN Team. Przygonski’s experience with the MINI ALL4
Racing increased during 2016 and he and Colsoul are also keen for the
Dakar to get under way.
Also competing in iconic MINI ALL4 Racing cars for X-Raid Team are
Boris Garafulic (CHL) and Filipe Palmeiro (POR), along with Mohamed
Abu Issa (QAT) // Xavier Panseri (FRA), and Stephan Schott (GER) //
Paulo Fiuza (POR). Joining the MINI Family at the 2017 Dakar Rally is
the Brazilian pairing of Sylvio de Barros and Rafael Capoani.
Once again this international band of drivers and co-drivers of the
MINI Family compete at the Dakar Rally with the knowledge that full
race support comes from the experienced hands of MINI motorsport
partner X-raid. This experience includes the MINI capture of four
successive Dakar Rally wins (2012-2015), and four FIA World cup titles.
2017 Dakar Rally – the MINI Family line-up