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Derani hoping for fitting Ford finale at Le Mans

Monday, 12 June 2017

By Stephen Kilbey / Image by JEP/LAT

Above: Andy Priaulx, Harry Tincknell and Pipo Derani at Silverstone.

Ford driver Pipo Derani is hoping that his final race in 2017 with Ford Chip Ganassi UK will be a memorable one.

Derani, who is driving the No.67 with Harry Tincknell and Andy Priaulx, got his GTE career off to a flying start at Silverstone, winning his debut in the car. But as the car's third driver, he's not slated to race after Le Mans, when the FIA WEC travels to Germany and further afield.

"It's never easy to get up to speed in a new car with teammates who are already there and know it well," Derani told RACER, when asked about getting used to racing in GTE after seasons in prototype racing with ESM and G-Drive Racing. "So far it's been great, I won my first race which was incredible, it was a great way to start the season.
"I would like to win my third one, my last one with Ford; it would be very special to win with Ford. Such a great manufacturer and team.
"You need to be extremely precise, every mistake you make in a GT loses you so much time, because you don't have the same performance. Silverstone wasn't easy, being the third driver. I didn't even get to run with new tires during practice.
"It's never easy to step in a new discipline, but I had great teammates to help me and make my life easier. I think, as I always said, being with a factory is my goal, and being with Ford has been great.
"My deal is up to Le Mans, so I'm focusing on this, then I'll see what happens."