In a previous blog we looked at the new Mini Countryman and mentioned that rumours were rife that the German owned company were going to make a return to the World Rally Championships (WRC), well that rumour was confirmed today.
The car entered will be based on the new Countryman model that we looked at and will be developed by rally legends Prodrive, before mounting a challenge for the championship from the 2012 season.
Mini have also confirmed that they will enter the team into selected rounds of the 2011 season for testing and team practice.
Mini owners BMW released a statement through Sales and Marketing chief Ian Robertson who said:
I am delighted MINI will be represented on one of the most popular stages in international motorsport. The success enjoyed on the rally circuit has made a vital contribution to the image of the brand. MINI customers have always shown great interest in motorsport. I am convinced we will add a few more chapters to our success story in rallying.”
Prodrive have also confirmed that they have been working on an entry for Mini since 2009 and have an impressive pedigree, taking Colin McRae and Richard Burns to WRC titles in their Subaru Impreza’s. The team also has history with BMW when they ran the German outfits M3 project back in the 1980’s.
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