The Mini Challenge series is set to run alongside the British GT Championship for 2017 in order to expand and gain additional exposure.

Penned by BMW as one of the fastest growing single-make racing championships in Europe, the Mini Challenge currently runs race-prepped versions of the John Cooper Works hatchback and will host double and triple-header rounds alongside next year’s British GT and BRDC Formula 3 championships.

Of the eight Mini Challenge rounds pencilled in for next season, six of them will run alongside British GT.

In a statement, head of product at Mini UK, Nicolas Griebner, said “I am thrilled that MINI Challenge is supporting the well-established British GT Championship with exiting and close racing from 2017 onwards. British GT has grown in the last 20 years to become the world foremost domestic sports car series, whilst MINI Challenge has also become one of the best one-make series in the UK since 2001.

“Supporting the MINI Challenge means we can also filter technology from racing down to our road car range, as evidenced by the new MINI John Cooper Works Challenge edition, which gives customers the purest possible experience on the road,” he concluded.

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