Dennis Kuipers and his co-driver Frederic Miclotte finished tenth after a very strong performance at ADAC Rallye Deutschland.
It is already the fourth time this year that the duo have scored a point in their Ford Fiesta RS WRC. Kuipers and Miclotte were on course to finish in a sensational seventh position, until a flat tyre on the final stage on Saturday caused crucial time loss.
Encouraged by hundreds of spectators from the Netherlands and Belgium, Dennis Kuipers and Frederic Miclotte had their best race of the season - the FERM Power Tools World Rally Team feel at home in Trier. After six stages on the opening day the team was lying in ninth position.
It was the second long and hard day where Dennis set his top performance. Already on the opening stage of the day he set the seventh quickest time and passed former Formula One Champion Kimi Raikkonen and the experienced Henning Solberg in the standings, advancing to seventh place. The drivers were only seconds apart.
On Stage 13 Kuipers and Miclotte finished with a superb fifth fastest time - the best ever stage finish for a Dutch rally driver in a WRC event. "Everything is now is spot on. The notes are great, the Ford Fiesta RS WRC performs great and we feel very good," said Kuipers.
During the beginning of the longest stage of the day the famous Aremna PanzerPlatte the FERM team suffered from a flat tyre. The duo changed the tyre as quick as they could, but could not prevent time loss of more than two minutes. This resulted in a drop to eleventh position. "The flat tyre was a terrible disappointment, but it’s part of the sport so we must move on,” said a militant Kuipers.
On the final day the team showed a charge for points to re-enter the top ten. "I am pleased to finish with points - this was our strongest rally ever,” said Miclotte. "Not only did we manage to put in very fast times with a fifth time as an absolute highlight, but also we have fought back after a big disappointment."
Kuipers adds a point for the fourth time this season.
Seventh position in the Manufacturer’s championship gives the FERM Power Tools World Rally Team eight points. The first Dutch WRC team is now seventh in the Manufacturers’ championship.