New look Castrol MINI John Cooper Works team ready for new season

The Castrol MINI John Cooper Works team of Lee Thompson and new team-mate Ryan Rhode will be looking to carry on where the team left off at the end of last season – first and second in the final race – when the Bridgestone Production Car Class T Championship resumes at Zwartkops Raceway west of Pretoria on Saturday, 1 March 2014.

The experienced Thompson, a multiple SA champion in several disciplines and with five of the team’s 11 wins in 2013, is to credit including the final race, and the promising young talent of 18-year-old Rhode, a former Volkswagen Challenge and Volkswagen Cup racer, will make for an interesting combination that should play a key role in the destination of the championship title this year.

New rules in class T will see all cars weighing in at 1 275 kg. Turbo boost and air intake restrictors will be the key variables managed by the series organisers.

The MINIs will again be managed by ADF Motorsport and team principal Donovan van Heerden is bullish about the team’s prospects for the new season despite the disadvantage of the cars being heavier than they were in 2013.

“We will be running the Castrol MINIs with different gearbox internals for 2014, which along with the drop in power should make them slightly less stressed in that department. We could have done without the additional weight, which will offset these advantages to some extent,” he said “We’re excited about Ryan’s prospects. He was impressive in testing and, with the vastly experienced Lee as a team-mate and mentor, he can only develop into one of the best young prospects we’ve seen in the top echelon of South African circuit racing.”   

“I can only hope for better luck this season than I had last year,” said Thompson, who was consistently fast but too often eliminated by problems. “We have a great package in the Castrol MINI and with our blend of youth and experience, backed by the crack ADF technical team, should be in a good position to exploit our advantages.”

Rhode can’t wait to test himself against the sternest competition he has experienced so far in his short career. “I feel very fortunate to be in a top team like ADF with a driver of the calibre and experience of Lee to learn from. I’ll be doing my very best to live up to the faith that has been shown in me.”

In addition to principal sponsor Castrol, the team enjoys backing from MINI John Cooper Works, Powerbrake and Sony Playstation.

Ends.

For more information on MINI Motorsport, please contact:

Mr. Edward Makwana,

Manager: Group Automotive Communications

BMW Group South Africa

Tel: +27-12-522-2227

Email: edward.makwana@bmw.co.za

Internet: http://www.mini.co.za

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MINISouthAfrica

Twitter: http://twitter.com/MINISouthAfrica

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