We are quite partial to Mini’s efforts to take Hatch JCW races, specifically with respect to their recent efforts in 24 hours in the Nürburgring, a sufficiently crazy (German) event to be the host of a car that, historically speaking, has always seemed crazy in a sufficiently British way. There are other reasons: for one thing, the first attempt was a genuinely base effort that only caught a BMW tail wind through its brand expert racing team. John H had a chance in the car in 2022, and it is worth reading his description of the background history if he has the previous requirement fifteen minutes left over.
If it does not, it is enough to say that the team was as torn as the name of the Bulldog racing team suggested, and resulted in a decent performance in N24. The following year, it was even better (especially since they really ended), ensuring second place in their class. But last year everything joined: the victory in the SP-3T classification of ‘production’ and another notch in the post of the metaphorical bed for a brand that has enjoyed a huge success in motor racing over the years.
Okay, 2024 saw that N24 was cut due to conditions impossible fogs, and the SP -3T class is not flooded with tickets anyway, a fast trip to Wikipedia suggests that only five teams assumed the challenge last year, but can only overcome what is in front of you and the Mini Cooper JCW Pro did it alone. As expected, he is back again for another opportunity in class honors in 2025 with another racing car that looks a lot like the updated F66 model that can now buy in exhibition rooms.
It is probably an indicative of BMW’s interest in the exercise that its press release does not waste time in technical alternations (we will assume, as before, the motor train is familiar and the chassis breathed and the interior was mostly) and instead praises its new collaboration with Deus Ex Machina. The latter likes to suggest that it is more a philosophy than a brand (although mostly sells clothes) so that I can see why Mini likes the association. And, to be fair, the black and white scheme has resulted in the most attractive version of the JCW Pro so far. We will discover if that counts for something on June 21.
