LD Motorsports Team Principal Liam Doran and Toyo Tires MSA British Rallycross Championship competitor Steve Harris have announced to Autosport that they have acquired all three BMW Mini RX Supercars that were built by former owners JRM Racing.
Doran’s British RX squad will be upgrading and developing the three Supercars with an eye to having them in competition in 2018, however the options include renting or selling the cars to other competitors or running the cars themselves in a selected Rallycross programme.
Liam Doran took the BMW Mini RX to a famous win during the Semi-Finals at the 2016 World RX of Hockenheim. Credit: IMG / FIA World RX
British RX Supercar driver Harris explained the details further.
“Liam and I have gone in on this together,” said Harris. “He believes in the cars and I believe in Liam, whether we sell them, rent them or have a bit of fun in them, I believe they will be incredibly fast.”
With the development and upgrade of the cars including a lot of work on the 2.0 litre turbocharged engines, the squad has the chance to run the cars in the Toyo Tires MSA British Rallycross Championship, the FIA European Rallycross Championship for Supercars or selected events in the FIA World Rallycross Championship.
Liam Doran and Steve Harris have purchased the three Mini RX Supercars from JRM Racing. Credit: IMG/McKlein
Former World RX driver Doran was responsible for one of the cars best showings back in 2016 where he held off the best in the series to win Semi-Final Two at the World RX of Hockenheim. To add to this feat, the Mini was fitted with its original 1.6 litre turbocharged engine.
The former EuroRX race winner explains why he sees the Mini as the most successful car he has competed in during his Rallycross career.
British RX driver Steve Harris will be part of the development of the Mini RX Supercars. Credit: Matt Bristow
“I know what these cars are capable of, I look at the Mini as my most successful car,” Doran said. “It’s beautiful to drive, look at Hockenheim in 2016. There is some unfinished business.”
Fellow British driver Guy Wilks scored the car’s best World RX result at Lydden Hill in 2015, where he finished sixth in the Supercar Final. Doran is confident that the best is yet to come from the iconic Rallycross Supercar.
Guy Wilks guided the Mini RX to its best finish in World RX: Sixth place at the World RX of Great Britain. Credit: IMG / FIA World RX
“The car was never the issue. The Mini is a great chassis and I’m confident it’s going to turn heads. I’m a big believer that drivability of a car is what makes it fast and consistent.”
“I want to get in the Mini and show everyone what it can do.”
