Hopefully one or two of you are the same. There are only so many days of Christmas to be endured, so many cold and dark days eating everything and trying to keep children entertained, before I’m thinking about the new year, better weather and automotive adventures. I love the spring and the summer as much as I dislike autumn and winter; similarly, being out and about is almost always preferable to being around the fire. But Christmas does mean some time to think, and with the help of one too many pale ales, it’s obvious - I want to do a track day in the Mini.
We’re incredibly lucky in this line of work to drive some amazing cars on a few of the world’s greatest circuits. It’s the best part of the job, to be honest, especially with so many new performance cars only really offering up their best away from the road. What some new models are capable of in showroom specification is genuinely staggering. Now, I’m patently aware that the Mini wasn’t a track car when new - and won’t be any more of one after 75,000 miles - but I’d really love to see what it could do free from the restrictions of the public highway. And excited to drive fast in a car that's actually my own. Thruxton is the plan, because it’s reasonably close and shouldn’t be an absolute killer on brakes (just tyres and my courage, right?), though nothing is set in stone just yet. It’ll be April for sure, because that’s the month clear for a sabbatical. So if there are any days that spring to mind, fire away.
The more pressing concern for the moment is what to do with the Mini. I don’t have the desire (or anywhere near the money) to make a track car of it; assuming April goes well, it’ll maybe do a couple a year. Whereas every week it’s used as a station car, so something crazy stiff and loud just wouldn’t work. That being said, it needs to be safe (and hopefully not completely rubbish).
Mechanically, I think it’s bob-on. Having the clutch and flywheel replaced last year means the powertrain feels strong and, while Thruxton is of course crazy quick, the little turbo feels punchy enough for the moment. Those Michelin tyres mentioned before are pretty fresh (and very good), with new springs on in 2023 as well. In an ideal world it’d have new dampers, but they’ll have to wait.
I think brakes will be the big thing; I’ve seen plenty of track-prepped Minis on PH, so please shoot with suggestions. Truth be told, there’s nothing amazing about the performance on road after a year and a few thousand miles, so plan of action is pads and fluid as a bare minimum, with potentially some new discs as well. The history I have for the car doesn’t mention recent replacements for any of that stuff, so a track day seems like the ideal excuse to upgrade. If there are certain products you’d recommend, I’m all ears. Or, of course, say something if it’s the daftest plan you’ve ever heard…
We’ve even managed to pick up a bit of motorsport patina before going anywhere near a track. Some kind soul in Reading services seemingly believed that rubbing meant racing even when it came to parking, and scuffed the rear drivers side corner, taking one of the body kit slats with it. Swines. Something to sort at the bodyshop with the wonky window trim and temperamental bonnet latch. Or leave well alone as I wander the slippery slope towards full on, warts-and-all track car build…
FACT SHEET
Car: 2011 Mini Cooper S
Run by: Matt Bird
On fleet since: February 2023
Bought for: £6,400
Mileage: 76,333
Last month at a glance: Time for the track?
Previous reports
1 / 6
