Joan 'Nani' Roma wins 2014 Desafio Inca Peru

MINI and X-raid complete a successful test for the 2015 Dakar Rally.Joan "Nani" Roma/Michél Perin (ES/FR), MINI and the Monster Energy X-raid team have won the 2014 Desafio Inca Rally in South America. Held around the city of Pisco in Peru, the event is a tough challenge and a good preparation for the biggest challenge in offroad rallying: The Dakar Rally, which will be held at the beginning of January 2015.

2014 Dakar winner Nani Roma won all six Special Stages on three days at the Desafio Inca, which was held on a tricky sandy dune terrain, similar to the soil which he will drive on at the Dakar. The competitors and cars also had to cope with high temperatures, which are always a decisive factor at the Dakar. The mechanics and engineers used the opportunity in Peru for fine-tuning the set-up of the MINI ALL4 Racing, who again proved to be reliable and quick in the unforgiving desert terrain.

After 1,000 timed kilometres at the Desafio Inca Nani was almost one and a half hours ahead of second placed driver Rodrigo Moreno.

"These three days were very successful", Nani Roma said after the Desafio. "It was fun driving the MINI ALL4 Racing in the sandy dunes. At the same time, it was a very good preparation for the 2015 Dakar Rally, where we will face similar tough conditions. Now I can't wait for the Dakar Rally to start!"

MINI and the X-raid team have to tackle a few other challenges before the start of the 2015 Dakar Rally. In October they will take part in the final two rounds of the 2014 FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies in Morocco and Portugal. Vladimir Vasilyev/Konstantin Zhiltsov (RU/RU) are currently leading the overall classification in their MINI ALL4 Racing.

2014 Desafio Inca Peru: Final Result (Top 3).1. Roma/Perin (ES/FR), MINI ALL4 Racing – 13h 21m 48s2. Moreno/Araya (CL/CL), Wicked Dakar – 14h 59m 30s3. Weber/Carrillo (PE/PE), Toyota – 15h 45m 9s


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