The MINI Challenge Brazil already has two rounds under its belt. After Raphael Abbate dazzled at the season-opener in Sao Paulo, the fans in Curitiba recently bore witness to a procession from Vitor Genz. Driving the number 46 MINI John Cooper Works Challenge, Vitor sped away from his rivals in all three races to claim maximum points.

Vitor now leads the overall standings on 124 points, just ahead of Raphael with a round century and third-placed Zé Mario Castilho (84 points). "It was a great weekend," said Vitor, who celebrated his triumph at the "Autodromo Internacional de Curitiba" in style with his team and fans. The drivers can now take a breather before the lights turn green to signal the start of round three of the MINI Challenge at the Velopark in Nova Santa Rita on 19th and 20th May.

Head-to-head races in the MINI Challenge UK.

Chris Smith also saw the green light recently in the privately run MINI Challenge UK. Smith finished runner-up twice at the season-opener in Silverstone and thus takes his place at the top of the overall standings. In doing so, he overshadowed the efforts of his namesake Chris Knox. The reigning champion only agreed to line up for Mark Fish Motorsport two days before the start of the event, and thanked the team by winning race two, while victory in the first race went to Lee Allen.

After round one of the MINI Challenge UK, Chris Smith (37 points) leads the standings, ahead of Lee Allen (35) and Chris Knox (27). The top of the "John Cooper Works Class" could hardly be more exciting, and fans can already start looking forward to the second round at Castle Combe on 7th May. The programme once again consists of two races, with a further five scheduled before the end of the season.

MINI Challenge Argentina: curtain-raiser in Buenos Aires.

Meanwhile, the drivers and teams in the MINI Challenge Argentina are moving into their starting positions for the second season of the clubsport series in Argentina. The first round will be held in the capital Buenos Aires on 22nd April. The "Autódromo Hermanos Oscar y Alfredo Galves" is one of the most demanding circuits in the country and never fails to thrill the crowds. It features many challenging corners and long straights, which provide the drivers with the perfect opportunity to let the MINI Challenge cars flex their muscles.

It remains to be seen whether reigning champion Patrick Goncalves, who raced in the series as a Brazilian guest driver in 2011, will once again be the man to beat this season in Argentina. One thing is certain, however: fans of the MINI Challenge Argentina can look forward to another thrilling season of top-class motorsport.