Francisco López finishes third once again in Tunisia

SANTIAGO.– Chilean driver Francisco López is getting closer and closer to a strong finish at the Tunisia Rally.

The national had another positive race day, finishing third in the ninth leg of the race after Spaniard Marc Coma and Frenchman Cyril Despres, maintaining his third place position in the classification.

"It was a short but complicated special. It started with a mountainous leg, very technical, where I was able to make distance between myself and Jordi Viladoms who is now in fourth. Then we went through a part that was pure navigation through the Sahara and I kept him far behind", stated the Curicó native from the assistance stand in Ksar.

Unfazed by what Despres and Coma may be doing ahead of him, the South American concentrated on the personal competition that he has with the Spaniard and with Norwegian Pal Anders Ullevalseter.

"At 100 kilometers, right in the middle of the navigation leg, Ullevalseter got lost and I thought 'good, one less for today'. I applied myself to making sure that there was no way Viladoms could catch up with me and I gained four minutes on him".

The racer went on to state that "when I was finishing fueling up at the stop, I noticed that Viladoms was arriving. I took off quickly, at 20 kilometers we entered into the jumps and I had to slow down, but the same happened to everyone and we arrived in the same order to the finish line".