Cookie Consent by Free Privacy Policy website MINI ALL4 Racing wins Hungarian Baja. Mikko Hirvonen // Michel Périn on top step of podium. Fellow MINI ALL4 Racing crew of Bryce Menzies // Peter Mortensen secure second place
agosto 22, 2016 - Mini Motorsport

MINI ALL4 Racing wins Hungarian Baja. Mikko Hirvonen // Michel Périn on top step of podium. Fellow MINI ALL4 Racing crew of Bryce Menzies // Peter Mortensen secure second place

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MINI ALL4 #racing wins Hungarian Baja. Mikko Hirvonen // Michel Périn on top step of podium. Fellow #miniall4racing crew of Bryce Menzies // Peter Mortensen secure second place.

 

Hirvonen wins first his World Cup cross-country #rally. Two #miniall4racing on Hungarian Baja podium is the icing on the cake of this particular test and development session, one of several in the ongoing focus on Dakar #rally 2017.

 

Munich. The 16th edition of the Hungarian Baja concluded today after a spectacular opening #event of a Super Special Stage (SSS), followed by two days of challenging long distance #rally action over three Special Stages. The end result of this tough competition saw #miniall4racing cars fill the top two positions.

 

MINI ALL4 #racing crew of Mikko Hirvonen (FIN) and co-driver Michel Périn (FRA) started the Hungarian Baja with an impressive second place in the opening Super Special Stage on Friday evening (12th Sept). By the end of Saturday evening, after Special Stages 2 & 3, the “Flying Finn” had placed his #miniall4racing at the head of the leader board.

 

By keeping a cool head and working in perfect harmony with co-driver Michel Périn, #miniall4racing 2 completed SS4 of the 675 km #event in first place with an obviously delighted Hirvonen at the wheel...

 

“We had a great weekend,” said Hirvonen. “Everything went perfectly – although I did not expect the Hungarian Baja to be so demanding, so difficult, especially when I saw the length of the stages, which I thought were to be more like sprints. But they were really technical in places and narrow, and with the rain and mud they proved to be difficult. But everything worked perfectly. I’m really happy to get my first victory with Michel and the #miniall4racing.”

 

Bryce Menzies (USA) and co-driver Peter Mortensen (USA) were equally delighted with their second place finish and with good reason: this is only the third competitive race for Menzies at the controls of a #miniall4racing. Co-driver Mortensen was wearing an even bigger smile at race end because this was his first marathon #rally race in a #miniall4racing.

 

Menzies: “Leading up to this race we didn’t know what to expect. It was really challenging; from the high speed roads; the trees; and then the open grass fields where it was really rough. I think we did really well; the whole team and, of course, the #miniall4racing. I’m looking forward to the next #rally.”

As a development #event, the Hungarian Baja proved to be an ideal venue. The differing terrain provided useful insight for the development teams of technical service supplier X-raid – but especially in preparation for the fast approaching Dakar #rally 2017.

 

The third member of the #miniall4racing family, 5 Van Loon #racing, fell victim to a large, unavoidable hole on Stage 2 (Saturday). Fortunately, it was only severe car damage that ruled Dutch pairing Erik van Loon and Wouter Rosegaar out of the rest of the race.

 

The next race of the 2016 FIA World Cup for Cross Country Rallies is Baja Poland, 25–28th August.

 

2016 Hungarian Baja : #miniall4racing result

 

Driver

Co-driver

#

Team

Position

Mikko Hirvonen (FIN)

Michel Périn
(FRA)

2

X-raid Team

1st

Bryce Menzies (USA)

Peter Mortensen (USA)

1

X-raid Team

2nd

 

 

Race calendar: 2016 FIA World Cup for Cross Country Rallies.

 

19/02 – 22/02 Baja Russia
02/04 – 7/04 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge
17/04 – 22/04 Sealine Cross-Country #rally Qatar
23/06 – 26/06 Italian Baja
22/07 – 24/07 Baja Aragón
11/08 – 14/08 HunGarian Baja

25/08 – 28/08 Baja Poland

03/10 – 08/10 Rallye Oilibya du Maroc
21/10 – 23/10 Baja Portalegre 500

 

Find reports, photos and videos in high resolution of previous #miniall4racing activity on the BMW Media Website by clicking here.