WRC Team Mini Portugal

The WRC Team Mini Portugal was Mini's factory-supported World Rally Championship team.[1]

Team Mini Portugal
Full nameWRC Team Mini Portugal
Base Milan, Italy
Team principal(s)Mario Stagni
Drivers Armindo Araújo
Paulo Nobre
Chris Atkinson
Co-drivers Miguel Ramalho
Edu Paula
Stéphane Prévot
ChassisMini John Cooper Works WRC
TyresMichelin
World Rally Championship career
Debut2012 Rally of Sweden
Constructors' Championships0
Drivers' Championships0
Rally wins0

Established in February 2012 after the Prodrive-run Mini WRC Team had its support from parent company BMW reduced, the team debuted at the Rally of Sweden. The WRC Team Mini Portugal was formed out of the merger of the Mini entries of Armindo Araújo World Rally Team and Palmeirinha Rally, which were both run by the Motorsport Italia firm for drivers Armindo Araújo and Paulo Nobre respectively. Team Mini Portugal were registered as a manufacturer entry, while the Prodrive WRC Team was demoted to a works-supported private team. The manufacturers points that had been scored by Armindo Araújo World Rally Team and Palmeirinha Rally at the Monte Carlo Rally prior to the change were removed.

On 16 August 2012 it was announced that Chris Atkinson and Stéphane Prévot would replace Armindo Araújo and Miguel Ramalho as the team's lead crew for the last five races of the 2012 WRC season.[2]

At the end of 2012 Mini withdrew its financial support and the team was closed.[3]

WRC Results
Year Car No. Driver 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 WDC Points WCC Points
2012 Mini John Cooper Works WRC 14 Paulo Nobre MON SWE
Ret		 MEX
Ret		 POR
DNS		 ARG
Ret		 GRE
17		 NZL
17		 FIN
38		 GER
Ret		 GBR
Ret		 FRA
Ret		 ITA
19		 ESP
30		 - 0 - -
14 Armindo Araújo MON SWE
15		 MEX
7		 POR
15		 ARG
Ret		 GRE
11		 NZL
8		 FIN
15		 15th 11
Chris Atkinson GER
5		 GBR
11		 FRA
8		 ITA
6		 ESP
7		 13th 28

References
  1. Evans, David (6 February 2012). "Prodrive loses status as MINI's factory World Rally Team". Autosport.com. Haymarket Publications. Retrieved 6 February 2012.
  2. "Chris Atkinson secures factory MINI WRC drive". AUSmotive.com. 17 August 2012. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
  3. "Mini to withdraw backing for works WRC team at end of 2012". Autosport.com. 12 October 2012. Retrieved 26 January 2017.

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