Celebs take on Mini challenge.

Tennis 'great' Pat Rafter; the pin-up princess of Italy Megan Gale; Olympic speed skating gold medallist Steven Bradbury; world renowned Jazz musician James Morrison and actor Vince Colosimo are just some of the national and international stars of show business, media and sport who will 'shine' in a new field next month -- behind the wheel of one of the world's 'hottest' small vehicles - the MINI Cooper - and on one of the world's best racing tracks, the Albert Park circuit.

In all, 26 celebrities will share their 'racing debut' in the nimble and super-quick MINI Coopers, putting them through their paces in the 2003 MINI Celebrity Challenge in the lead-up to the 2003 Foster's Australian Grand Prix.

Among the other stars to line up in this year's MINI Celebrity Challenge will be: Italian model and boyfriend of Megan Gale, Marzio Canevarolo; Australia's most valued netballer Liz Ellis; World champion buttlerfly swimmer Petria Thomas;
Davis Cup and international tennis star Sandon Stolle;
Former AFL stars Peter Daicos (Collingwood) and Stephen Silvagni (Carlton) and the Face of Foster's for the 2003Foster's Australian Grand Prix, Grace McClure.

The full line-up of the team will be announced over the following weeks in the lead-up to the MINI Celebrity Challenge which will see them in action on the track on 7, 8 and 9 March.

BMW Group Australia Managing Director, Franz Sauter, said in the build-up that the MINI Cooper would prove an even greater attraction at this year's event as sales of the vehicle had soared since it was released on the Australian market last year.

The MINI Cooper made its return to the international racing circuit last year at the MINI Celebrity Challenge at the same time it was released on to the local market. "The MINI Cooper takes the reputation of the MINI to a new dimension in the sport and this has been reflected in the enthusiasm of the market," said Mr Sauter.

The celebrities will experience this new dimension in the John Cooper Works specially prepared MINI Coopers for the race. The vehicles have been modified for racing purposes and they are guaranteed to provide the stars with a 'go-kart-like' racing experience they will never forget. It will be pure driving excitement for them and the fans.

However, just to ensure the celebrities do not get too carried away behind the wheel, they will undergo an intensive week of tuition in the BMW Driver Training Program before competing in the race.

Chief instructor, Le Mans and Bathurst winning race driver, Geoff Brabham will put all the drivers through their paces and ensure they are not only competitive, but also have a sound knowledge of the safety requirements of racing.

The driver training will take place at the Sandown Race Track in the week leading up to the 2003 Foster's Australian Grand Prix. Following that, the drivers will get their first taste of the famous Albert Park Grand Prix track on Friday, 7 March before Sunday's MINI Celebrity Challenge.