McRae a pilotar un Skoda Fabia WRC 05

Xingular · 12 de Agosto del 2005

A mi siempre me ha caido un poco gordo. Pero a ver si hace algo en Skoda!.

Colin McRae is to join the Škoda Motorsport World Rally Team for Rally GB (September 15-18). McRae will be partnered in the Fabia WRC 05 by Welsh co-driver Nicky Grist, the pairing reunited for the first time since New Zealand 2003.

Škoda Motorsport World Rally Team manager Joan Sureda successfully concluded the deal for McRae to join the team during last weekend's Rally Finland. McRae drove the Fabia WRC on asphalt ahead of last year's Catalunya Rally. He will now drive the Fabia in competition for the first time and will carry out a programme of intensive gravel testing before his first WRC appearance since Rally GB 2003.

Since taking a temporary retirement from the WRC at the end of 2003, McRae has contested four Rally Raids, finishing 20th on his Dakar debut last year before winning the Baja Portalegre in Portugal. He also contested the 2004 Le Mans 24 Hour race.

The 37-year old Scot became Britain's first ever World Rally Champion when he won the title in 1995. His career includes 25 WRC event wins, a total beaten only by Carlos Sainz, and three outright wins on Rally GB (1994, 1995 and 1997). Having contested 143 WRC events to date he will be the most experienced driver in the field when he takes the start in Cardiff next month as team mate to Armin Schwarz, another veteran of over 100 WRC events.

Rally GB begins with a Ceremonial Start by the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff at 1930 on the evening of Thursday September 15 before the event heads further into west Wales to its base at the Felindre Rally Centre near Swansea. After an overall total of 357.56kms the rally finishes in Cardiff on Sunday at 1410 (1510 CET).

Quotes

Joan Sureda (Škoda Motorsport Team Manager): "I'm very happy that we have the chance to bring Colin back to the WRC on this event because we know that he was keen to return to the championship. He has a lot of experience on this rally which we will find very useful for our future development. I'm sure that the fans will be as excited about Colin's appearance as we are."

Colin McRae: "Rally GB is obviously very special to me, so I am very much looking forward to competing on my home event and giving the fans something to cheer. This is an opportunity for me to utilise my experience to help the Škoda Motorsport World Rally Team develop the Fabia WRC 05 in a positive way for the future.

Although I have not competed in a World Rally Car since Rally GB 2003, the team have put together an extensive testing programme which will give me the opportunity to evaluate the Fabia and have it set up to my liking. It will also allow us to get ourselves up to speed before the event itself."

COLIN McRAE PROFILE

Date of Birth: August 5, 1968

Marital status: Married to Alison; two children (Hollie and Johnny)

First rally: 1985

WRC debut: Sweden 1987 (36th o/a, Vauxhall Nova)

WRC wins: 25 (1993: NZ; 1994: NZ, GB; 1995: NZ, GB; 1996: GR, I, E; 1997: EAK, F, I, AUS, GB; 1998: P, F, GR; 1999: EAK, P; 2000: E, GR; 2001: RA, CY, GR; 2002: GR, EAK).

Career highlights:

World Rally Champion 1995

25 WRC victories

British Rally Champion 1991 and 1992

3rd in GT Class, Le Mans 24 Hours 2004

Awarded OBE for services to Motorsport in 1996

Otro enlace en Germans.

Xingular · 16 de Agosto del 2005

Ampliación de la noticia.

kikes-line · 16 de Agosto del 2005

A mi no es que me caiga gordo, es que no le trago, aunque admito que es un buen piloto.

Xingular · 14 de Septiembre del 2005

A ver como se le da. Comienza mañana.

Ferdinan4 · 15 de Septiembre del 2005

Yo creo que fue buen piloto en su momento, pero con el tiempo ha ido perdiendo cualidades. tampoco me cae bien, no obstante dudo que pueda hacer algo con una marca que todavía no es puntera en el mundo de los rallys