I agree with Bruce, the Rev Limiter would prevent you from sustained harmful over-revs that could overcome your valve springs and float a valve, burning it, or worse causing it to strike something at high velocity. But this safety device only stops the engine from doing this to it's self.
If you were to dump the clutch in a gear too short for the engine's max RPM, then the inertia of the car, through the grip of the wheels, through the transmisson, would happily blow up your engine.
The factory rev-limiters are often set at a conservative number, so that when all the rev limiters are set, they cover all examples of produced engines, throughout their useful lives. So, your rev limiter is designed to protect an engine comming from the factory that met the minimum specifications, and is XX years or XXX,XXX km old.
Don't make a habit of this, but you're fine.
P.S. The MINI's computer recorded this stunt, and the dealer will know the max RPM you hit now.
