MINI ALL4 Racing with Nasser Al-Attiyah takes overall win at Rallye du Maroc

to secure unassailable lead in 2015 FIA Cross Country Rally World Cup

MINI ALL4 Racing wins Rallye du Maroc for second year running – MINI and Nasser Al-Attiyah are champions elect

Rallye du Maroc, round nine of the 10-round series of the 2015 FIA Cross Country Rally World Cup, ended (09-10-2015) in glorious victory for MINI with Nasser Al-Attiyah (QAT) and co-driver Mathieu Baumel (FRA) taking the overall win in a MINI ALL4 Racing.

Today’s win is Al-Attiyah’s and MINI’s consecutive triumph at Rallye du Maroc, mirroring the win achieved in the 2014 edition. Starting today’s final race (Leg 5) in first position overall, Nasser Al-Attiyah and Mathieu Baumel drove a tactical race across 314 km of “The Loop Of Agadir” to finish in eighth place – perfectly placed to take the overall win.

Talking about today’s success, Al-Attiyah said: “I’m very happy about my victory here in Morocco and the points I gained in the FIA world cup. It was my first priority to increase the gap in the FIA standings to more than 30 points. Now we are ready for the Dakar Rally!”

With today’s result, another important milestone in MINI and MINI Motorsport history has been achieved. With the 60 points awarded to Al-Attiyah for the overall win, he has amassed a 40 point lead over his nearest rival. With only 30 points available from the final round (Round 10 - Baja Portalegre 500, 22-24 Oct), and subject to official confirmation, MINI and Nasser Al-Attiyah are winners and world champions elect - of the 2015 FIA Cross Country Rally World Cup. With World Cup success in 2012, 2013 and 2014, this means MINI and its MINI ALL4 Racing will have won the FIA Cross Country Rally World Cup an incredible four times.

There are other reasons for MINI and its MINI ALL4 Racing crews to celebrate. All seven MINI ALL4 Racing crews finished the 2015 Rallye du Maroc despite the harsh conditions and difficult navigation encountered across the five racing legs. Underling the MINI ALL4 Racing crews’ skill – and the reliability and durability of their MINI ALL4 Racing – four finished within the first top ten finishers.

Mikko Hirvonen (FIN) and French co-pilot Michel Perin finished in fifth place in only their second outing as a MINI ALL4 Racing crew. This can be considered an exceptional achievement for Hirvonen who had to master five solid days of heat and mixed terrain.

British driver Harry Hunt with German co-pilot and mentor Andreas Schulz by his side also excelled in the Moroccan desert regions by claiming a hard-earned seventh place. Today’s result will no doubt boost the young Englishman’s confidence ahead of Dakar 2016.

Adam Malysz (POL) and co-driver Xavier Panseri (FRA) followed Hunt’s wheel tracks all the way to the finishing area of Agadir in a respectable eighth position overall.

Dutch duo Erik Van Loon and Wouter Rosegaar’s 15th place overall does not reflect on the incredible racing speed they put into the race to make up the considerable time lost after encountering problems with a puncture on soft sand during Leg 2.

In only his second race at the controls of MINI ALL4 Racing, Jakub Przygoński (POL) and Belarusian co-pilot Andrei Rudnitski found out firsthand how fate can suddenly be so cruel. A technical delay occurred during the early part of their race and, from this point on, was forced to play catch-up.

Nazareno Lopez (ARG) and Sergio Lafuente of Uruguay completed the MINI ALL4 Racing teams making it to the finish line in 20th position.


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