Cookie Consent by Free Privacy Policy website Four MINI ALL4 Racing in the top five after Stage 3 of Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. Vladimir Vasilyev in second place
april 06, 2016 - Mini Motorsport

Four MINI ALL4 Racing in the top five after Stage 3 of Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. Vladimir Vasilyev in second place

Four #miniall4racing in the top five after Stage 3 of #abudhabi Desert Challenge. #vladimirvasilyev in second place.

 

Round 2 of the 2016 FIA Cross Country World Cup: #abudhabi Desert Challenge. Six #miniall4racing inside top ten.

 

 

Munich. The #abudhabi Desert Challenge, round two of the 2016 FIA Cross Country World Cup is shaping up for an exciting finale. After Stage3 of this prestigious desert race, four #miniall4racing are placed within the top five. To further underline the #mini ALL4 Racing’s long distance desert capability, six #miniall4racing fill positions 2nd to 7th place.

 

At the end of St 3 (Al Ain Water) and four days of intense #racing across the desert stage of the #abudhabi Desert Challenge, the Russian pairing of Vladimir Vasilyev/Konstantin Zhiltsov (201) have placed their #miniall4racing in second place. With two stages to go, it is still too early for last year’s winner Vasilyev to think about a repeat win.

 

“Today showed the true nature of the race – the dunes were very difficult,” said Vasilyev. “Thankfully there was no rain but I still drove carefully. Not because it is Konstantin’s birthday today, but to maintain the fight.”

 

Yazeed Al Rajhi (KSA) and co-driver Timo Gottschalk (GER) in #miniall4racing 204 finished today’s stage in fifth place and presently sit in third place overall. Despite Al Rajhi’s desert experience, at one point he too fell victim to the sand, which resulted in a short delay.

 

Al Rajhi: “We got stuck and had to get out of the car to get free. This unfortunately lost us time. The last section in the smaller dunes helped because it was was very fast...”

 

Jakub Przygonski (POL) and Tom Colsoul (BEL) take up fourth place in the race standings. Today’s seventh at stage end does not reflect on the speed of this #miniall4racing crew. On the opening day’s stadium Super Special Stage, Przygonski set the fastest time much to the delight of this amiable man from Poland.

 

Mikko Hirvonen (FIN) continued his experience of #racing in the dunes with a hard fought third at the end of today’s 280km race. Hirvonen and co-driver Michel Perin (FRA) are placed fifth overall. After two day’s #racing in cool and wet conditions, the desert heat returned but didn’t thaw the ice-cool Finnish driver. “No drama! Nothing special,” said Hirvonen. “We did get stuck several times but not heavy – just put it in reverse gear and we were fine.”

 

For American Bryce Menzies, the #abudhabi Desert Challenge is his first full FIA long distance desert race and first time inside a #miniall4racing... although you wouldn’t think so. With the experienced Andreas Schulz (GER) by his side, at the opening day’s Super Special Stage they set the same time as pole setter Jakub Przygonski. Today’s stage saw them cross the finish line in fourth to place them sixth overall.

 

United Arab Emirates driver Sh. Khalid Al Qassimi and co-driver Khalid Al Kendi (Abu Dhabi #racing 203) are the sixth of the #miniall4racing crews currently placed inside the top ten. Today’s stage netted a valiant fourth and seventh overall despite Al Qassimi receiving a back injury during the previous stage.

 

There are now two stages of just over 490km total left to play out before the end of the 2016 #abudhabi Desert Challenge on Thursday 7th April.

 

 

2016 #abudhabi Desert Challenge: #miniall4racing positions after St3

 

Position

Driver

Co-driver

#

Team

Time

2nd

Vladimir Vasilyev (RUS)

Konstantin Zhiltsov (RUS)

201

G-Energy Team

11:17:38.0

+15:19.0

3rd

Yazeed Al Rajhi (KSA)

Timo Gottschalk (GER)

204

X-raid Team

11:24:32.0

+22:13.0

4th

Jakub Przygonski (POL)

Tom Colsoul (BEL)

209

X-raid Team

11:32:47.0

+30:28.0

5th

Mikko Hirvonen (FIN)

Michel Perin (FRA)

205

X-raid Team

11:39:07.0

+36:48.0

6th

Bryce Menzies (USA)

Andreas Schulz (GER)

211

X-raid Team

11:40:17.0

+37:58.0

7th

Sh. Khalid Al Qassimi (ARE)

Khalid Al Kendi (ARE)

203

Abu Dhabi Racing

11:54:55.0

+52:36.0

28th

Stephan Schott (GER)

Holm Schmidt (GER)

210

X-raid Team

19:12:51.0

+8:10:32.0

 

 

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

 

19/02 – 22/02 Baja Russia
02/04 – 7/04 #abudhabi Desert Challenge
17/04 – 22/04 Sealine Cross-Country Rally Qatar
08/05 – 15/05 Pharaons Rally
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.