4000 km in seven days, from Moscow to Sochi: the Silk Way Rally is a true challenge and a test ahead of the Dakar Rally – one that Stéphane Peterhansel passed in style in his MINI ALL4 Racing.
Alongside the MINI works commitments in the FIA WRC and recently at the Nürburgring 24 Hours, the appearance of the private “Monster Energy X-raid Team” in the Dakar Rally in January 2012 is one of the most eagerly anticipated MINI outings in international motorsport.
With nine-time Dakar Rally winner Stéphane Peterhansel and his co-driver Jean-Paul Cottret at the controls of the 300 bhp MINI ALL4 Racing, the Monster Energy X-raid Team recently continued its preparations for the toughest rally in the world at the extremely demanding Silk Way Rally in Russia – and emerged with a promising result.
On 9th July, wearing green, the French duo guided its MINI ALL4 Racing over the start podium onto Moscow’s Red Square. One week later they were celebrating second place as they arrived at the Olympic Village in Sochi.
Peterhansel: “The Silk Way Rally offered a good opportunity to continue testing the MINI. The prerequisites were good: the long stages were tiring and we were under a certain pressure.” The diesel intake on Peterhansel’s car may have stuck on stage one, but he consistently worked his way through the field over the remaining stages.
For someone as used to success as old hand Stéphane Peterhansel, the fact that he fell just short of the overall victory did dampen his joy over the runner-up spot a little. However, it was encouraging to know that the result of the race was almost entirely in the hands of the Monster Energy X-raid Team. Despite this, overall victory went to the Polish/Belgian X-raid pairing of Krzysztof Holowczyc and Jean-Marc Fortin.
Team Principal Sven Quandt was happy with the performance of the MINI ALL4 Racing, but also announced his desire to further develop the car for its outing in the Dakar Rally. “We have been able to do a lot of work on the MINI,” said Quandt. “The Silk Way Rally is a good preparation for Dakar, but we still have some work to do.”
MINI and Dakar fans alike can already start looking forward to the next outing of the Monster Energy X-raid Team’s MINI ALL4 Racing.
