Kuipers pleased with unexpected point

"Scoring world championship points once again is really great"

By Franck Drui

23 June 2011 - 15:03
Kuipers pleased with unexpected point

Dennis Kuipers claimed his third top 10 finish in the World Rally Championship this season with 10th place in Greece last week - and then admitted afterwards that the result had exceeded his expectations.

The 25-year-old Dutch ace was tackling the Acropolis Rally’s punishing gravel stages for the first time. At the finish in Loutraki on Sunday, the FERM Power Tools World Rally Team driver said: “I’m really happy because I never thought this result good happen. You get nothing for free on this rally so to finish with no big problems or mistakes is a great result.”

Kuipers, who was co-driven by Belgian Frederic Miclotte, continued: “I had been told in advance what to expect, but now I’ve experienced it myself I know why this rally is one of the toughest in the WRC. The roads are really rough, the stages are long and the heat exhausting.”

Having missed the previous round in Argentina, Kuipers spent the intervening period working on his fitness for the Greek event. “On Friday we found our rhythm quite quickly, even though the last race had been a while back,” he said. “From morning until 11 hours at night in the car is incredibly heavy. I’m glad I worked on my fitness in the last weeks.”

Kuipers is 17th in the world championship standings with four points. His FERM Power Tools World Rally Team is eighth in the manufacturers’ table. “Scoring world championship points once again is really great, especially after a tough and competitive rally,” added Kuipers.

Miclotte added: “Dennis and I grabbed a point and for the FERM team four points. We have quickly picked up pace and made no serious mistakes, which would have been very feasible in this legendary rally.”

WRC

Search

Motorsport news

Pics

Videos