All-New Mini Libre Formula To Launch In 2017

[mab01UK]

The Mini Seven Racing Club is pleased to announce for the 2017 season, the launch of the Mini Libre formula.

This new formula, meaning ‘free’ or ‘liberty’ - is the M7RC’s modern-day interpretation of those heady days of Free Formula and Special Saloons in the late-1960s/early-1970s, where Mini tuning really began to push the boundaries of performance.
Mini Libre will once again offer racegoers the spectacle of power-packed grids, with the now 1.3-litre Miglias ready to do battle alongside equally enthralling Mini variants and A-Series developments of the modern era.
Alongside the 2017 Mini Miglia champion-to-be, the M7RC will also be looking to ‘crown’ their first ever Mini Libre champion at the end of season awards, with the winner receiving the prestigious ST Trophy.
As the name implies, the Mini Libre formula is open to all steel-shelled FWD racing Minis, running on 10-inch wheels and powered by a traditional A-Series block and gearbox. It will be a free formula, as it was in the early '70s, to allow car building creativity to really shine. 1460 on twin split Webers, or 998 turbo? All good!
In a statement, club chairman, Nick Cooke said, “we think that there are more than 50 racing Minis out there that would be eligible for this Trophy, and with the launch of the Mini Libre formula, we wanted to get these cars back out onto the grid for 2017. It will bring back some of the excitement of the original Miglia formula from the 1970s to today’s modern day spectators.”
The Mini Libre formula will run with the Mini Miglias at each of their 14 rounds of the 2017 Championship, with the ST Trophy awarded to the winner at the annual end of year trophy presentation. We race at some of the very best circuits in the UK including both MSV Mini Festivals, north and south.

Regulations for the new series will be released in due course. The basic outline is a Mini Miglia style racer using a steel bodyshell (no spaceframes), BMC A-Series engine of any type and 10-inch diameter wheels. The usual safety regulations and MSA scrutineering will apply.
Expect to see BMW bike head conversions, 7-ports, 8-ports, KAD twin cams, turbos, fuel injection and five-ports that wouldn't usually comply with our 1293cc Mini Miglia regulations.
Perhaps you already have a 1380cc hillclimb Mini and fancy joining in with the Miglias, or maybe there's an old Miglia and a collection of engines lurking in the garage? We want to see you back on track, and now's your chance!
http://www.mini7.co.uk/news.php?p=747

To register your interest, please e-mail Colin Peacock - colinmpeacock@hotmail.co.uk

[mab01UK]

50 Years of Mini 7 Racing
"In 1966, the Mini 7 Racing Club was founded to take everyone's favourite small car racing. Who knew that 50 years later, Alec Issigonis' famous design would still be so popular on the race tracks. Peter Hills heads to Castle Combe to find out about the attraction of the championships."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ym5ZemFxoE

[Normal Bloke]

What an extraordinarily rubbish idea?
Discuss.

[Mike Bell]

I guess the proof of the pudding will be in the eating, so to say.

Its relevance to Historic Racing is probably reflected in the number of replies to the intitial post. Maybe it would attract more interest under National & Club Racing....

[delta]

Interesting . At the Walter Hayes this year the HSCC organise two Libre races . One for open wheel and one for closed . Well the open wheel attracted 4 cars where as they then had to run two races for the closed as it was very very well supported . I think for first time this year I watched one of the races and it was brilliant with a good variety of saloon cars having good old ding dongs .

[Normal Bloke]

I apologise for my obtuse initial statement but I wanted to rattle a few cages.
IF....this new class helps to pad out the currently sparce Miglia grids AND does not just form a long line of dissimilarly quick hot rods then YES it won't a bad idea, especially if the hot rods are able to mix it with the Miglias (not sure the Miglia drivers will relish this though).
However, I fear it will devalue the Miglias as they won't be crossing the finish line first anymore and I suspect the hot rods will be very spread out with little racing unless we get lucky.

[andy97]

Of course, the Mini miglias and their mini "hot rod cousins" could always race in the existing CSCC Special Saloons and Modsports series, on slicks/ wets, too, if they want additional places to race.

Minis traditionally did well in the Special Saloon series of the past, overall as well as in the classes.