Jesús Puras Vidal de la Peña (born March 16 1963), also known as 'Chus Puras', is a Spanish rally driver active in the World Rally Championship from 1991 to 2002. Puras was well known for his blistering performances on tarmac rallies.

Jesús Puras
Personal information
NationalitySpain Spanish
Full nameJesús Puras Vidal de la Peña
Born (1963-03-16) March 16, 1963 (age 61)
Santander, Cantabria
World Rally Championship record
Active years1991–1992, 1994–2002
Co-driverSpain José Arrarte
Spain Álex Romaní
Spain Carlos del Barrio
Spain Marc Martí
TeamsMazda, Citroën
Rallies37
Championships0
Rally wins1
Podiums2
Stage wins25
Total points32
First rally1991 Monte Carlo Rally
First win2001 Tour de Corse
Last win2001 Tour de Corse
Last rally2002 Rallye Sanremo

Career edit

 
Puras driving a Citroën Xsara Kit Car at the 1998 Rallye Cantabria.

Puras debuted in rallying in 1982 and captured the Spanish Rally Championship title eight times; in 1990 and 1992 with a Lancia Delta Integrale 16V, in 1995 and 1997 with a Citroën ZX 16S, from 1998 to 2000 with a Citroën Xsara Kit Car and in 2002 with a Citroën Xsara WRC. Driving a Ford Escort RS Cosworth, he also won the 1994 FIA Group N Cup (now as World Rally Championship-3).[1]

Along with teammate Philippe Bugalski, he was chosen by the Citroën Total World Rally Team to be part of their driver line-up for the first bit-part campaign with the Citroën Xsara Kit Car in 1999. He secured his only WRC win at the 2001 Tour de Corse with co-driver Marc Martí (who then went on to pilot former double world champion Carlos Sainz and in recent years, Dani Sordo) with the Citroën Xsara WRC.

However, with performances overshadowed by the upcoming Sébastien Loeb, he retired from the Citroën factory team and the WRC in 2002, ending with a sixth place in his last rally – the 2002 Rallye Sanremo.

WRC victories edit

 #  Event Season Co-driver Car
1   45ème Tour de Corse – Rallye de France 2001 Marc Martí Citroën Xsara WRC

WRC results edit

Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 WDC Pts
1991 Mazda Rally Team Europe Mazda 323 GTX MON
Ret
SWE POR
7
KEN FRA GRE NZL ARG FIN AUS ITA CIV 40th 4
Jesús Puras Lancia Delta Integrale 16V ESP
Ret
GBR
1992 Mauro Rallye Team Lancia Delta HF Integrale MON SWE POR KEN FRA GRE NZL ARG FIN AUS ITA CIV ESP
6
GBR 34th 6
1994 Jesús Puras Ford Escort RS Cosworth MON
9
POR
8
KEN FRA
12
GRE ARG
Ret
NZL
Ret
FIN ITA
17
GBR
15
30th 5
1995 Citroën Hispania Citroën ZX 16S MON SWE POR FRA NZL AUS ESP
Ret
GBR NC 0
1996 Seat Sport Seat Ibiza Kit Car SWE KEN INA GRE ARG
Ret
FIN AUS
Ret
ITA ESP
15
NC 0
1997 Citroën Hispania Citroën ZX Kit Car MON SWE KEN POR ESP
Ret
FRA ARG GRE NZL FIN INA ITA AUS GBR NC 0
1998 Automobiles Citroën Citroën Xsara Kit Car MON SWE KEN POR ESP
Ret
FRA ARG GRE NZL FIN ITA
Ret
AUS GBR NC 0
1999 Automobiles Citroën Citroën Xsara Kit Car MON
Ret
SWE KEN POR FRA
2
ARG GRE NZL 11th 6
Citroën Hispania ESP
Ret
Jesús Puras Subaru Impreza WRX FIN
Ret
Toyota Corolla WRC CHN
Ret
GBR
16
Citroën Sport Citroën Xsara Kit Car ITA
Ret
AUS
2000 Jesús Puras Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI MON SWE KEN POR
Ret
FIN
Ret
CYP NC 0
Citroën Sport Citroën Xsara Kit Car ESP
Ret
ARG GRE NZL
Jesús Puras Citroën Saxo Kit Car FRA
28
ITA
35
AUS GBR
2001 Jesús Puras Citroën Saxo Kit Car MON
Ret
SWE POR 11th 10
Automobiles Citroën Citroën Xsara WRC ESP
Ret
ARG CYP GRE KEN FIN NZL ITA
Ret
FRA
1
AUS GBR
2002 BBF Citroën Sport Citroën Xsara WRC MON SWE FRA ESP
12
CYP ARG GRE KEN FIN 19th 1
Automobiles Citroën GER
Ret
Piedrafita Sport ITA
6
NZL AUS GBR

References edit

  1. ^ "Jesús Puras". RallyBase. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 22 May 2009.

External links edit

Sporting positions
Preceded by Race of Champions
Nations' Cup

2001 with:
Fernando Alonso
Rubén Xaus
Succeeded by