KUIPERS FEELING ORANGE FOR WALES

News release from the FERM Power Tools World Rally Team

The FERM Power Tools World Rally Team prepares for a special season finale. During this week’s Wales Rally GB the Ford Fiesta RS WRC will feature the special colours of the winning design from the Draw 'n' Race design competition.

Dennis Kuipers said "Wales has a special place in my heart. The unique design of the FERM car makes this edition even more special."

Wales Rally GB is home to a rich variety of gravel roads through the forests of Wales. It is the third time that Kuipers participates. "The unpredictability of the rally is what makes Wales such a great rally. It is the combination of road and weather conditions. Rain, fog, snow - it can be very spooky in the forests."

Last year Kuipers and co-driver Frederic Miclotte finished sixteenth in this rally classic. The FERM duo target a move towards the top ten this year. "We want to finish the last rally of the season on a high, but this year’s event is four days. The trick is to be ready for the challenges that come our way," says Kuipers.

The stages of this year’s Wales Rally GB have changed significantly compared to previous years. The opening day includes stages, which have not been used since 1981 and 1996, whilst on Sunday the closing stages of last year are driven in the opposite direction. The FERM team has to travel almost 2000 kilometers in four days.

"This is definitely a tough rally," says Miclotte. "But the confidence is there. Both in France and Spain we fought until the end and we finished in a very good position. We will use this experience to make it a great final rally."