MINI John Cooper Works Takes Second in Nürburgring SP3T
MINI John Cooper Works and Bulldog Racing thrilled Nürburgring fans by steering their vividly liveried challenger to second place in the ultra-competitive SP3T class, shadowing only the BMW M2 Racing entry at the gruelling 24 Hours of Nürburgring. Over 111 laps and more than 2,700 kilometres, the MINI team demonstrated precise engineering, relentless pace, and impeccable pit discipline, showcasing the brand’s racing pedigree on one of motorsport’s most challenging stages.
This result marks a hat-trick of podiums for the outfit, following the class win in 2023 and another second place the year before, underscoring consistent excellence amid fierce Nürburgring 24-hour competition. Drivers Samantha Tan, Toby Goodman, Sebastian Sauerbrei and Markus Fischer tamed the “Green Hell” with unflinching focus. A sudden power outage halted proceedings on Saturday afternoon. Yet, the quartet maintained composure, charged away at the restart, and clawed back more than sixty spots in the overall standings during the year’s shortest night.
Fischer again logged the team’s quickest tour, lowering his benchmark to an impressive 10:02. Tan and Goodman capped their debut 24-hour appearance with a sparkling class runner-up, proving their stamina and speed at endurance racing’s sharp end. Beyond lap times, the MINI captivated onlookers with a bespoke Deus Ex Machina design that turned heads long before the green flag.
A record 280,000 spectators packed the Eifel circuit, cheering through dusk, dawn and everything in between as the 53rd running of this legendary race delivered non-stop theatre. Off-track festivities matched the on-track drama, with dedicated fans celebrating shoulder to shoulder with teams throughout the marathon.
MINI John Cooper Works salutes ROWE Racing on their overall triumph with the BMW M4 GT3 Evo and congratulates BMW M2 Racing on the SP3T victory, while already plotting the next charge for Nürburgring glory.