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The MINI John Cooper Works put on a masterclass in stamina and pace during this year’s 24 Hours of Nürburgring, steering Bulldog Racing to a hard-won second place in the fiercely fought SP3T class. Over 111 punishing laps and more than 2,700 kilometres on the notorious Green Hell, the compact challenger displayed rock-steady handling, impeccable pit-stop discipline and a powertrain that refused to fade.
Wheel time was shared by Samantha Tan, Toby Goodman, Sebastian Sauerbrei and Markus Fischer, each driver wringing every ounce of performance from the turbocharged hatch. Their effort was interrupted mid-afternoon when a circuit-wide power failure parked the field, yet the quartet kept their focus, restarting two hours later and clawing back more than 60 places in the overall order as night cloaked the Eifel forest. Fischer again stamped his authority on the stopwatch, shaving precious seconds off last year’s benchmark with a blistering 10:02 tour.
For newcomers Tan and Goodman, it was a baptism by Nürburgring fire; both navigated traffic, dwindling grip and the circuit’s capricious weather without putting a wheel wrong. Meanwhile, the MINI’s bespoke Deus Ex Machina livery turned heads in the paddock long before the starting lights blinked out, its bespoke graphics contrasting sharply with the track-rubber patina that built up hour after hour.
A record 280,000 spectators lined the fences, floodlights and campsite scaffolds, underscoring the race’s status as a true motorsport pilgrimage. Cheers erupted every time the scarlet-roofed JCW flashed past the grandstands, its exhaust note slicing through the night air. When the chequered flag finally dropped, only the BMW M2 Racing entry sat ahead in class, while ROWE Racing’s BMW M4 GT3 Evo scooped overall honours, deserving rivals both, and warmly congratulated by the Bulldog crew.
Three consecutive podiums now underline the MINI John Cooper Works’ durability and pace in marathon competition. With each outing, the chassis feels tighter, the strategy sharper, and the crew more cohesive. If this momentum continues, the top step of the SP3T podium may soon belong to the bulldog from Oxford.
