Colin McRae - The Best Known Rally Driver In The World
Oct 02, 2007
Subaru
Colin McRae is undoubtedly the best known rally driver in the world and a name that has become synonymous with the sport following his victory in the World Rally Championship with Subaru in 1995.
Colin was born on August 5 1968, the son of acclaimed british rally driver, Jimmy McRae. Jimmy McRae was already well acquainted with the Banbury-based Prodrive team, having competed in its rally-prepared Porsches and the MG Metro 6R4 in the mid 1980s.
Colin was soon to follow in his father’s footsteps just five years later, when he joined the newly formed Subaru World Rally Team in 1991, aged just 22. It was obvious he was a naturally gifted driver when his took his Subaru Legacy RS to victory on his debut event in the British Rally Championship. With co-driver Derek Ringer, he went on to win four consecutive events that year, and was crowned Britsh Rally Champion, a feat he repeated in 1992.
He also made his WRC debut in 1992 and immediately showed what a rare talent he was, bringing home his Legacy in second place on the snow and ice of the Swedish Rally.
In 1993, he competed full time for the Subaru World Rally Team in the WRC, taking his first event win in New Zealand.
Driving alongside such rallying legends as Ari Vatanen and Carlos Sainz, he was soon to join this elite group of champions when he won the WRC title in a group A Subaru Impreza in 1995. He clinched the title at the final round, the Rally of GB, in front of his home fans, becoming Britain’s first World Rally champion at the age of 27. His success also helped turn the blue and yellow Subaru Imprezas into icons of the rally stage.
The following year, Colin narrowly missed out on a second title, but helped Subaru to two more manufacturers’ titles in 1996 and 1997.
