Atkinson makes 'useful steps ahead' in Cyprus.

Upcoming WRC star, Chris Atkinson reckons that he made some 'useful steps ahead' on the Cyprus Rally over the weekend, despite the fact a clutch problem on day one, left him languishing down the field.

Although the Aussie managed to recover to finish tenth and bag two points for Subaru in the manufacturers' championship - after re-starting under the SupeRally format - he added that it was a tough event, especially as on day two they had to ran second on the road.

"The roads [on day two] were the worst that I have driven on in my life," he stated.

"Furthermore while we weren't going slow out there Suday, we certainly weren't going flat out. It was purely about getting to the finish. We were in a position to earn some points towards the Manufacturers' championship for Subaru and we were focused on ensuring that we bagged the points for the team.

"Throughout the final day we did a lot of testing with set ups for the next few events which will be held in similar rough conditions. I think we've made some useful steps ahead of Turkey and Greece. We've still got some more work to do of course, especially in the slow corners, but I'm pleased with what we've achieved here this weekend."

Subaru boss, David Lapworth also thought Atkinson had gained a lot from the Cypriot event. "For Chris this event was another important part of his learning process," he added. "He's done very well and gained a lot of invaluable experience. The work he's done here will give him a lot of confidence for the forthcoming rough events."