Franz Wittmann Jr has praised his co-driver Bernhard Ettel and his Stohl Racing team for helping him to equal his best result in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge so far at the wheel of his Interwetten Racing Mitsubishi Lancer E9.

The 25-year-old from Austria was the best non-Super 2000 finisher in sixth overall in the IRC standings on Rally Russia on July 9-11. The result puts him tenth in the drivers' championship.

"Foremost, I'd like to thank my co-driver Bernhard Ettel who didn't make a single mistake during this fast rally and thereby highly contributed to our success," said Wittmann Jr. "My further thanks go to the team of Stohl Racing who provided me with a perfect and very stable car. We didn't have the slightest problems despite the high demands of the rally. Throughout the event we only encountered three punctures that cost us some time.

"To me, it was important to learn and get to know the stages in order to raise my chances for next year with improved pacenotes."

Wittmann Jr won't be competing on the next round of the IRC, Rali Vinho Madeira, but will return to the series on Barum Rally Zlin in Czech Republic on August 21-23.