As Mini takes its new Countryman model into the World Rally Championship with Prodrive, here’s a video on the history of Mini in rallying. It’s the seventh episode in the “WRC Access All Areas” series, and shows Mini in rallies of the 1960’s. Mini’s roots in rallying lie in its classic and small Cooper model, competing across all surfaces and enjoying much success despite its size.

In fact, seeing this video you might wonder why it’s taken Mini to get to the Countryman model before re-entering the championship. Hopefully the new compact crossover/SUV will prove it’s not just a trendy attempt to expand Mini’s participation in other segments. It’s not a lot to go by, but as we learned from the AutoExpress test drive, the Countryman still drives like a Mini should. With that and Prodrive’s experience, we could be looking at an exciting start for Mini in the WRC.

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