Motorsport History

Everyone knows that the Mini has a successful Motorsport heritage. Rallying, circuit racing, hill climbs, sprints, then Mini has been used in many different racing disciplines. It is perhaps best known for it's rallying success in it's early years. Even today, many competitors choose the Mini over more modern machinery due to it's simplicity and affordability.

Originally using an 848cc engine for racing, it found success in the under 1000cc class. With the introduction of the 997cc Cooper, it became untouchable. When the Cooper S came out, the real success started. With a choice of three engines, it allowed the Mini to dominate all classes and find many wins. By the late 60's the Mini wasnt as successful as it had been, and new machinery was ruling the roads.However, that was not the end of the Minis Motorsport career, as the Mini 7 club were already providing a successful and popular racing experience. Today there are four main all Mini racing events; the Mini Miglia Championship, the Mini Seven Championship, Mighty Minis and Super Mighty Minis.The question is, will the new BMW Mini be as successful as the old Mini?

Paddy Hopkirk wins the 1964 Monte Carlo in 33 EJB

The Most successful drivers & Event:The most successful works Mini race driver was John Rhodes, who won the 1300cc class in the British Saloon Car Championship every year from 1965 to 1968. The most successful works Mini rally driver was Rauno Aaltonen, who in 41 drives scored eight outright wins, 14 class victories, and the European Rally Championship title in 1965.

The most successful event for the works minis was the Monte Carlo Rally, bringing outright victories in 1964, 1965, 1967 and class awards every year from 1963 to 1968 (except for the controversial disqualification in 1966, where they lost first, second and third, due to the french deciding that their lights gave them an unfair advantage).