25 Years Ago Today...

[massiveCoRbyn]

...Colin McRae made history, becoming the first British driver to win the World Rally Championship. He remains the youngest driver ever to win the title.

Worth some videos I reckon:

 

[McGherkin]

When he was on form he was absolutely untouchable. Others have won more but none with the style of Colin.

 

[David Stuart]

Went to ignition festival in Glasgow a few years back and his dad drove his Impreza in the driving arena. Sounded amazing.

Also thought the Chris Harris piece on top gear is probably their best VT since the change of presenters.

I was 8 years old when this happened so it kinda of passed me by. But the legacy of a PlayStation game and then the continuation of his career and the focus it got north of the boarder in the mainstream media meant I got the chance to catch up. Absolute legend.


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[Mr Burns]

All my memories of him were of him crashing lol. Definitely a legend though, as is the often forgotten Richard Burns.

 

[leeds_182]

Great driver but I can’t get over the helicopter crash and the kids he killed.

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

Went to ignition festival in Glasgow a few years back and his dad drove his Impreza in the driving arena. Sounded amazing.

Also thought the Chris Harris piece on top gear is probably their best VT since the change of presenters.

I was 8 years old when this happened so it kinda of passed me by. But the legacy of a PlayStation game and then the continuation of his career and the focus it got north of the boarder in the mainstream media meant I got the chance to catch up. Absolute legend.


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I'm the same a bit really. My earliest rallying memories are of McRae, but in a Rothmans Legacy. I don't have much memory of the championship, but the later Subaru stuff, and the video games were a big part of my youth.

Great driver but I can’t get over the helicopter crash and the kids he killed.

I suspect he didn't set out to kill children...

What happened was a tragedy, and he was responsible for it, but we are all irresponsible sometimes. I'm sure everyone on here has put their foot down when they have had other people in the car with them on occasion. In McRae's case, the toys were bigger and more dangerous, and therefore the consequences were too. It shouldn't have happened, but I guess it was his approach to life in a way.

Anyway, this isn't a thread about his death, but about his achievement 25 years ago.

 

[Silent_Scone]

Great driver but I can’t get over the helicopter crash and the kids he killed.

Out of context, you're making that sound really quite ominous! At no point would I stop and think about those circumstances, and it certainly doesn't sour his career as one of the worlds greatest.

 

[thecrim22]

if in doubt flat out!!!!

 

[imprezaworks]

Wales rally years ago was an unreal experience.

 

[McGherkin]

Wales rally years ago was an unreal experience.

Go to Sweden. It’s fooking incredible.

 

[Cads]

I remember my dad taking us to Chatsworth House, Clumber Park and I’m sure there was a stage at Donnington we did too.
Great days out standing in the woods for hours, often in the rain, as the cars flew by. The smell of hot oil lives long in the memory.
Nearly as long as the memory of waiting to get out the bloody car park.
As for McRae he was the most entertaining driver and refused to give a quarter even when it was the right thing to do.
Legend is an over used term these days. But he was and will always be a legend of the sport.

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

Go to Sweden. It’s fooking incredible.

Monte is also awesome.

 

[McGherkin]

Monte is also awesome.

That’s one to do. Rallytravel helicopter you to each viewpoint... as you do!

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

That’s one to do. Rallytravel helicopter you to each viewpoint... as you do!

I had to slum it and drive 🤣 It's probably pretty awesome doing it that way, as it's not that easy to get to some places.

 

[mossyv6]

I remember my dad taking us to Chatsworth House, Clumber Park and I’m sure there was a stage at Donnington we did too.
Great days out standing in the woods for hours, often in the rain, as the cars flew by. The smell of hot oil lives long in the memory.
Nearly as long as the memory of waiting to get out the bloody car park.
As for McRae he was the most entertaining driver and refused to give a quarter even when it was the right thing to do.
Legend is an over used term these days. But he was and will always be a legend of the sport.

Watching the Lombard rally at Clumber will never be forgotten. You could literally stand at the side of the cars as they came thundering through - fantastic!!

 

[Pauleds]

I am still yet to attend an event which had the same reaction to Colin coming through the stages as it was that day. The atmosphere was out of this world. Still gives me goosebumps thinking about it.

Brilliant story from Petter Solberg today saying how he used to bug Colin when testing asking 20 questions then one day Colin told him to sit next to him and scared the s**t out of him 🤣

 

[jameswrx]

Amazing driver but my biggest wow moment from him was when I was at a celebration day for suzuki at Brands Hatch (must have been circa 2001/2).

He turns up in his helicopter and jumps on a British superbike and goes out with Kevin Schwanz and was lapping Brands with him. He was insanely fast and (it was obviously a while back) I’m sure the commentators were saying he was lapping not far off bsb spec.

That kind of blew my mind just to see him ride like a pro racer just rocking up like that.

 

[larry]

There is an excellent Collecting Car's podcast which covers Colin McRae - some great stories, highlight being one when his dad wrecked a car whilst testing a rally stage jump which no other drivers were attempting, yet Colin was convinced could be done. Ultimately in the race, there was a huge risk of crashing for very, very little time gained, yet he still did it!

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

Amazing driver but my biggest wow moment from him was when I was at a celebration day for suzuki at Brands Hatch (must have been circa 2001/2).

He turns up in his helicopter and jumps on a British superbike and goes out with Kevin Schwanz and was lapping Brands with him. He was insanely fast and (it was obviously a while back) I’m sure the commentators were saying he was lapping not far off bsb spec.

That kind of blew my mind just to see him ride like a pro racer just rocking up like that.

A lot of British rally drivers have been handy on bikes over the years. A lot of them start out doing trials etc. I remember an interview where one said it massively helped with car control, as it gave great feeling for the car moving underneath you. They're probably the most adaptable drivers in the world really.

 

[McGherkin]

There is an excellent Collecting Car's podcast which covers Colin McRae - some great stories, highlight being one when his dad wrecked a car whilst testing a rally stage jump which no other drivers were attempting, yet Colin was convinced could be done. Ultimately in the race, there was a huge risk of crashing for very, very little time gained, yet he still did it!

I remember Nicky Grist telling that story in a hotel at Rally GB a few years back. It’s a proper belter.

Reporting to David Richards that they’d just written off a recce car trying the jump, but it was okay because the actual rally car would be faster. Colin didn’t even know he was going to do it until he got there, and Nicky didn’t know he was going to do it until Colin kept accelerating and accelerating when he should have slowed right down, lol.

Colin only did it the once. Even he realised that whilst it gained him several seconds, he only pulled it off by fluke. Absolute nutter.

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

That's why he faded away sadly. He was brutally fast and braver than anyone, but he couldn't match the calculated approach that others brought to the table, especially Loeb.

 

[McGherkin]

Yup. The toughest competitor in motorsport is the one who’s 95% as quick as you, 100% of the time. See Loeb, Burns, Rosberg Jr., Prost etc

 

[Hixle]

If anyone hasn’t listened to the 3hr Nicky Grist interview on the Collecting Cars podcast, you really, really should. Some of the Colin stories are brilliant!

 

[Darren S]

They're probably the most adaptable drivers in the world really.

Totally agree with that.

You'll get the obvious talent of the likes of Hamilton and his F1 siblings - but proportionally, I think a rally driver would do better behind the wheel of an F1 car, than an F1 driver would do on a rally stage.

There's a lot more car control with rallying where you're relying on the loss of actual grip to get you around corners and sweeping bends - but only when you want to! F1 relies on huge levels of grip at all times. Plus in F1, you get super smooth tarmac that is dry, damp or wet. No ice. No gravel. No mud. No dust.

Rallying really is on another level.

 

[Willo40]

Defo a hero of mine, never lucky enough to see him race in person, not much use now, but i am sure he lived quite a life while he was alive, don't think their will ever be another like him, David Jeffries reminded me of him, did everything flat out, i was lucky enough to see him at the TT the year before he was killed.

Also agree with the above, Rally drivers are the most skilful drives on the planet.

 

[Twingo 1??]

Just had chance to watch the dirt fish and wrc documentarys. Colin had a massive impact on me rallying even when I grew up in a rallying family. Seeing Colin going through Hamsterley forest during the rac will always be high on my best lifetime experiences. Like Colin my first rally was in a Hillman Avenger and I would still love another in the works colours.
Other than Gigi Galli there has been not another driver since Colin that has lit up the wrc personality wise, possibly Craig breen as he wears his heart on his sleeve.

 

[McGherkin]

Today marks 15 years since we lost Richard Burns

 

[Iain C]

Great driver but I can’t get over the helicopter crash and the kids he killed.

I thought this was just me. Cant help think he was a real c#$t tbh.

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

I thought this was just me. Cant help think he was a real c#$t tbh.

Because he made a mistake? He didn't set out to kill anyone...

 

[leeds_182]

Because he made a mistake? He didn't set out to kill anyone...

True, but if I was driving like a nob in my car, crashed and killed myself and my kids I doubt many would say ‘I’d just made a mistake’ - I’d be demonised and rightly so.

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

True, but if I was driving like a nob in my car, crashed and killed myself and my kids I doubt many would say ‘I’d just made a mistake’ - I’d be demonised and rightly so.

That's because people adore judging others. What happened was tragic, but everyone makes mistakes. His toys were just bigger than most people's. I think he has paid a pretty high price for any wrongs that he committed. His daughter should know more than anyone what it feels like to reconcile what happened, and she has still been involved in celebrating his achievements, which says more than enough.

Anyway, this thread isn't about a helicopter crash, it's about him winning the WRC.

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

The video that was made for WRC+ is now available for free on the Red Bull website:

Colin McRae: 25 years a champion

Colin McRae became an idol for an entire generation of drivers when he won his world title 25 years ago.

www.redbull.com

 

[larry]

Digging up this thread as Nicky Grist is selling an assortment of panels from the 2001 Ford Focus RS WRC that crashed and lost Colin the World Championship - good write up from him in the advert about the event.

2001 FORD FOCUS RS WRC BODY PANELS - EX-MCRAE & GRIST for sale by auction in Pontrilas, Herefordshire, United Kingdom

Four panels from the original McRae/Grist 2001 Ford Focus RS WRC that crashed on the 26.47km Rhondda stage on 23 November 2001.

collectingcars.com

 

[matty w]

Gutted there's no round of wrc in UK this year again. Been a ritual for years

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

Gutted there's no round of wrc in UK this year again. Been a ritual for years

Yeah pretty shonky. Motorsport UK really do need to get a grip on rallying in the UK, it's a mess.

 

[Twingo 1??]

Yeah pretty shonky. Motorsport UK really do need to get a grip on rallying in the UK, it's a mess.

I have decided not to do any rallying this year and don't even think I will bother getting back into it tbh. The lack of good events and navigators are the stumbling blocks for me personally. I have no interest in doing race track rallys and it will take time for good closed road events to come through.

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

I have decided not to do any rallying this year and don't even think I will bother getting back into it tbh. The lack of good events and navigators are the stumbling blocks for me personally. I have no interest in doing race track rallys and it will take time for good closed road events to come through.

I reckon we'll be back up and running later this year. The worry for me is how long they last before the environmentalists kill them off. The lack of interest in trying to at least look like we care about sustainability is frightening. Forestry England have already said we need to clean up our act. I saw some emails going around my local club and many committee members have their heads firmly buried in the sand. People just don't want to wake up from their 1970s and '80s fantasy world.

 

[Twingo 1??]

I reckon we'll be back up and running later this year. The worry for me is how long they last before the environmentalists kill them off. The lack of interest in trying to at least look like we care about sustainability is frightening. Forestry England have already said we need to clean up our act. I saw some emails going around my local club and many committee members have their heads firmly buried in the sand. People just don't want to wake up from their 1970s and '80s fantasy world.

Definitely people still stuck in the "good old days". ALL the s**t that goes on in motor clubs is a put off also, I would never join another. Younger people go to one meeting see and listen to the old boys talking b****cks and never go back.

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

Definitely people still stuck in the "good old days". ALL the s**t that goes on in motor clubs is a put off also, I would never join another. Younger people go to one meeting see and listen to the old boys talking b****cks and never go back.

Definitely. I've all but given up with my local one. Far too many old farts who can't see that the world has moved on. The club system should be totally overhauled. I'd just have regional clubs instead of having multiple clubs in every county.