Meeke: Italy the main focus ahead of MINI launch

The MINI John Cooper Works World Rally Car will be formally launched in the UK on Monday but team driver Kris Meeke says his mind will be focussed solely on the Prodrive-developed machine’s first event, Rally d’Italia Sardegna.

Meeke and team-mate Dani Sordo will attend the unveiling at the MINI plant in Oxford on April 11 as they take a break from their preparations ahead of the car’s competitive debut on the Mediterranean island next month.

“The launch will make you feel part of the bigger picture for sure but, for me, I am just focusing on the first rally,” said the 31-year-old from Northern Ireland. “At the end of the day, that’s the most important thing and that’s what all the hard work by the engineers, the mechanics and us the drivers has been geared towards since we started this project last year.”

Following the launch, Meeke and Sordo will undertake two tests in Spain and Wales before heading to Sardinia for the first event of their six-rally programme.

Two other John Cooper Works WRCs will be in action on the Olbia-based event: Armindo Araujo’s Motorsport Italia-run example and the Brazil World Rally Team entry of Daniel Oliveira.

Before then Oliveira will be contesting the Jordan Rally in his Super 2000-specification John Cooper Works following his debut in the car on Vodafone Rally de Portugal last month.