New MINI John Cooper Works starts in the VT2 class. At the wheel Charlie Cooper, whose grandfather John Cooper invented the Mini Cooper.

Nürburg. Bulldog Racing has built a second MINI John Cooper Works based on the current generation MINI 3-door hatch. In the coming season, the race car will compete in the VT2 class of the Nürburgring Endurance Series (NLS). It thus joins the MINI John Cooper Works, with which Bulldog Racing competed in the VLN-Special class at last year’s 24 Hours of Nürburgring and quickly became one of the crowd favorites. 

The new race car has received extensive modifications for the entry into the close-to-series VLN production car class. The MINI is thus optimally prepared for the highly competitive VT2 class. Among other things, an 80-liter fuel tank, a KW Clubsport suspension and a performance exhaust system from Remus were installed. A limited-slip differential from Drexler ensures optimum power transmission to the race track. A consequent weight saving of around 100 kilograms makes the MINI a real lightweight on track. 

The 170 KW (231 hp) MINI already had its trial of fire last week during test and set-up runs. Team boss Friedhelm Thelen himself sat behind the wheel.

“Our new MINI made a very good impression and we could already find a good set-up for the car. We took the opportunity to put the race car through its paces under various – sometimes extreme – weather conditions,” says Friedhelm Thelen. 

The first race appearance of the new MINI John Cooper Works is on Saturday, March 18, 2023 at the first round of the Nürburgring Endurance Series. At the wheel this time will be Charlie Cooper (GBR) and Sebastian Sauerbrei (GER). 

Charlie Cooper is the grandson of one of the greatest British inventors of the 20th century. His grandfather John Cooper developed Formula 1 cars in the 1950s and 1960s, which won many world championships at the time. He was the first to build rear-engine race cars. In 1961, John Cooper created the Mini Cooper, and a legend was born.