France the focus for Oliveira

Daniel Oliveira has refused to get downhearted following his early exit from Rally Australia last week and is instead looking ahead to the upcoming Tarmac round, Rallye de France Alsace.

Oliveira retired on the final morning of the New South Wales round when he went off the road on the second stage of the day, the 30-kilometre Plum Pudding test.

Although his MINI John Cooper Works WRC wasn’t badly damaged, Oliveira and co-driver Carlos Magalhaes were unable to regain the road. He had begun the day on a relative high when he went 6.2s faster than American Ken Block on Sunday’s first stage.

“We had a very short day,” said the Brazil World Rally Team pilot. “The first stage was very good. On the second we cut a bit early a bend and the car slid off the road. We hit a tree and that’s where our rally was over.”

Despite failing to go the distance on the Coffs Harbour event, Oliveira, who is embarking on his first season in the World Rally Championship, said he had been able to learn plenty behind the wheel of his Prodrive-run car.

“The important thing is to continue gaining kilometres, even more in a technical and demanding rally like Australia,” said the 26-year-old. “I believe it had been a difficult rally for most of us. There were a lot of changing situations, rain, mud, and roads, which were completely new to me. Now we have to think about our next competitions on Tarmac.”

Oliveira is still chasing his first drivers’ championship point of the campaign. However, his Brazil World Rally Team entry has one makes’ point to its name following Oliveira’s impressive performance on Rally Italia Sardegna back in May.