Injured Kuipers on road to recovery

Dennis Kuipers, a regular in last season’s FIA World Rally Championship powered by Nokia, has been released from hospital following a crash on an event in Germany earlier this month.

Kuipers was competing in a Subaru Impreza alongside co-driver Kees Hagman on Rallye Sulinger Land when they crashed into a tree on stage four.

Dutchman Kuipers suffered back injuries and a broken collarbone, while Hagman has undergone two operations on an injured back at hospital in the town of Sulingen.

A spokesperson for the 26-year-old Kuipers said: “Dennis is very happy to be out of hospital and even though it might be a slow recovery process, he is in high spirits. He is having difficulty walking at the moment, but will rest at home and should be back to full strength shortly. Kees is still in hospital, he has had two operations that have gone well and we are expecting his return home by the end of the month.”

Kuipers drove a Ford Fiesta RS WRC for the FERM Power Tools World Rally Team in 2011. He finished 12th in the final standings on the back of a career-best fifth on Rallye de France Alsace. He has made one WRC appearance so far this season when he finished sixth on Vodafone Rally de Portugal.