"Şaftçı" Yılmaz Köprücü Returns to the Wheel

Yılmaz Köprücü, known as "Şaftçı" and a competitor in the 1990s in a variety of cars including the Renault 11 Flash, Renault 5 Turbo, Peugeot 205 GTI and Opel Astra GSI, has returned to the driving seat after a long break.

Köprücü will contest the 2016 Turkish Rally Championship in Category 2 of the historic class, competing this season alongside Özcan Opçin in a 1981 Opel Kadett D. Köprücü prepared the car in the team's own garage in just six weeks, and with so little time available, was unable to test sufficiently and had to battle mechanical problems on the Aegean Rally...

On the opening day of the rally, the Köprücü-Opçin crew were unable to complete the day, hit first by brake problems, then by power steering pump trouble and finally by fuel filter issues. The crew continued on the second day under Super Rally. Starting the day full of hope and pace, they got through all four stages without brakes and managed to reach the finish despite all the difficulties.

Yılmaz Köprücü, whose career includes the 1998 Turkish Rally Category 1 title, will continue his season at Rally Marmaris on 13-15 May. After the Aegean Rally, Köprücü has rolled up his sleeves to sort out all of the car's shortcomings and, reminding everyone of the strength shown on the gravel surface that he has missed, said he is eagerly awaiting Marmaris...