Plenty of positives for Oliveira in Greece

Daniel Oliveira says his Acropolis Rally debut last week was an "enriching experience", despite his failure to finish round seven of the world championship.

The 25-year-old Brazil World Rally Team driver retired on the Sunday’s first stage when his MINI John Cooper Works WRC developed a radiator fault.

Although a mechanical glitch prevented him from completing Friday’s route, he had covered the entire competitive distance on Saturday - even though he had to tackle the morning loop of stages with no powersteering - and had been eager to build his experience by reaching the finish in Loutraki on Sunday afternoon.

“All we have done here in Greece was positive in every sense of it of the word,” said Oliveira. “It has been an enriching experience that enabled me to gain the most kilometres considering all the rallies we have tackled so far this season. In this rally I have learned some things on board the car that will help me to cope with some situations we will surely have to face in the events to come. Now it’s time to think about Finland, one of the most highly rated events in the WRC calendar where I hope to improve the job we did here.”

Oliveira was widely praised by his team after he completed the opening loop of stages on Saturday morning with no powersteering. Team manger Paul Howarth said: “It shows how determined he is to learn and get through problems. He’s got a good approach.”

Shortly after climbing out of his car following the onstage heroics, Oliveira said: “My arms are destroyed, those are the hardest stages I have ever done.”

Oliveira’s next event, Neste Oil Rally Finland at the end of July, will coincide with the return of the MINI WRC Team to the global run. The Prodrive-run squad will field a brace of MINI John Cooper Works WRCs for Kris Meeke and Dani Sordo.