MINI aces in Greece test

WRC Team MINI Portugal drivers Armindo Araujo and Paulo Nobre are in Greece today (Sunday) testing ahead of the country’s round of the FIA World Rally Championship powered by Nokia.

Araujo, from Portugal, and Brazilian Nobre are due to sample their John Cooper Works WRCs on a test road close to the event base in Loutraki in preparation for the Acropolis Rally from 24-27 May.

“We are working hard to be 100 per cent ready for one of the toughest challenges on the WRC calendar,” said team manager Bruno D Pianto. “The rally offers rough gravel roads, high temperatures, many, many stones and some of the most iconic stages in the whole of the WRC. Both crews know the rally from previous years and we’re focused on getting the best result possible.”

After five rounds, double Production Car world champion Araujo is 15th in the WRC drivers’ standings, while Nobre has yet to score.

There will be a total of three MINI John Cooper Works WRCs in action on the Acropolis Rally. In addition to Araujo and Nobre, Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari will make his World Rally Car debut for the Seashore Qatar Rally Team.