The new MINI John Cooper Works from Bulldog Racing has passed its baptism of fire. On the Circuit de Provence near the southern French city of Marseille, the race car completed the extended test programme in recent weeks.

The aim of the extensive tests was to gain knowledge of the continuous stress on the chassis and drive components and their durability. BMW Group chassis engineer Patrick Häussler sat behind the wheel of the MINI, which delivers approximately 225 kW (306 hp) of power. The advantage for the racing team: Patrick develops BMW and MINI series products full-time and knows the Miramas proving ground from years of testing.

“During our rollout in March, the task was to ensure the basic function of our race car. At the BMW Group test site in Miramas, we were now able to test the entire range of development. In addition to the obligatory endurance runs and set-up, we were able to make modifications and repairs to our vehicle quickly on site here,” says Friedhelm Thelen, Team Principal of Bulldog Racing.

“I drove the MINI John Cooper Works for the 24h race for the first time in Miramas. Bulldog Racing’s race car is brand new, and that’s exactly why it’s fascinating how far the car has already come. We were able to do more kilometres every test day and start with setup work and tyre tests. My impression is positive throughout. For me it was a great pleasure to be able to contribute to hopefully having a great race at the Nürburgring,” says Patrick Häussler.

Bulldog Racing will continue the development programme with the new MINI John Cooper Works on the Nordschleife in the coming weeks. The first race appearance will be from 06 to 08 May 2022 at the ADAC 24h Qualifiers at the Nürburgring.