The start of the 40th edition of Dakar - the 10th in its present South America theatre - is now only hours away. Shakedown testing is complete and the MINI family of seven international two-man race crews, together with the large support team from MINI Motorsport partner X-raid, are fully prepared to undertake the challenges the Dakar will undoubtedly present throughout its 9,000km distance that spans 14 race stages.
Each country will feature race stages that take place across natural splendour, which also happens to host the toughest cross-country racing conditions known to man and machine.
Seven MINI crews are lined up to compete against nature, time and fellow Dakar four-wheel competitors and all are focused on achieving a fifth overall Dakar win for MINI. This year's Dakar will see MINI battle for this ultimate accolade with three of the all new rear-wheel drive MINI John Cooper Works Buggy lining up alongside four of the revered all-wheel drive MINI John Cooper Works Rally.
The three crews behind the controls of the X-raid Team MINI John Cooper Works Buggy trio consist of the Dakar-experienced Mikko Hirvonen with Andreas Schulz as co-driver, and the equally experienced Yazeed Al Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk. Joining them as Dakar 'rookies' are the American pairing of Bryce Menzies and Peter Mortensen.
The four MINI John Cooper Works Rally crews also looking to lift the fifth Dakar title for MINI are all seasoned Dakar veterans. Joan 'Nani' Roma, a former MINI winner of Dakar, will be joined by Alex Haro. Fresh from their second-place result within the FIA Cross Country Rally World Cup is the duo of Jakub 'Kuba' Przygonski and Tom Colsoul.
The final two MINI John Cooper Works Rally crews are the Argentine duo of Orlando Terranova and Bernardo Graue alongside Boris Garafulic and co-driver Filipe Palmeiro.
