BRIT HARRIS PLOTS CORSICA MINI BID
Five-day event tempts loyal racer for 18 th running of the classic
British Mini driver Phil Harris is taking his 1963 Mini Cooper to Corsica in October to contest the famous Tour de Corse Historique.
For the 18th running of the historic event, which shares many roads with the island’s World Rally Championship event, Harris understands that his will be the first Mini to enter the five-day rally.
“It’s a fantastic event, drawing about 250 historic cars from Europe,” Harris said. “We are very fortunate to get an entry as all the top European crews like to compete on the same stages as the WRC.
“The rally organisers are really thrilled to have the Mini in the rally and they’ve featured it heavily on their website and their social media. As far as they know, we are the first Mini to enter the Historique event.”
“At a recent BRDC event, I was chatting to Paddy Hopkirk about rallying a Mini in the 1960s,” Harris continued. “My father had support from BMC with his Mini back then and knew Paddy.
“Paddy told me about the BMC team going to Corsica in 1967 for the World Rally. All three Minis retired on the first day with engine troubles, so it’s going to be a tough rally!”
Harris has been a regular BHRC class winner in the Mini over the last two seasons and his car recently celebrated its 55th birthday having first been registered on July 18, 1963. Harris has owned the car for the last 42 years.