BBC2 Racing Legends - Colin McRae - 28/12/12

[Sladden]

I liked it! Nice with comments from different people in his carrer.
Just a shame that the most interesting years... say 1996-2000 Always gets rushed over. Like it was a transition period into Ford. When in fact 97-98 was his absolute best performances ever in rallying.
And the mysteriously bad Citroen year is not mentioned. Would have been nice with some insight into that.. instead of Ken Block!

[AndyRAC]

It’s interesting you mention 1997/98. Both years he really should have won the Title – but was let down by the reliability of the Subaru. Who remembers the strings of retirements due to the same engine problem. Or the final 2 events of 1998 when while leading, the turbo went in Australia, and on the RAC the engine went on the road section to service at Builth Wells.


All too often he is accused of throwing away those championships due to accidents – it was the car. Even 2001, I’d actually argue was lost on the Tarmac rounds – not 1 point scored; the combination of the nose heavy Focus, and poor dry Tarmac Pirelli tyres. It didn’t help that in Australia he missed his time slot for picking the running order – and had to run 2nd on the road after Ford ‘asked’ Delecour to incur time penalties.

[Mark]

It’s interesting you mention 1997/98. Both years he really should have won the Title – but was let down by the reliability of the Subaru. Who remembers the strings of retirements due to the same engine problem. Or the final 2 events of 1998 when while leading, the turbo went in Australia, and on the RAC the engine went on the road section to service at Builth Wells.

One of those years - I forget which - he had a string of retirements, I worked out that if just a single one of those retirements had not happened and he'd finished in his running position he would have been champ that year instead of Makkinen.

[Mark]

The thing that saddens me most is how great rallying was in the late 1990's compared to now.

[grugsticles]

The thing that saddens me most is how great rallying was in the late 1990's compared to now.

Amen. We were up to 7 manufacturers at one stage, all in different periods of developments and varying budgets but essentially you could count on that each rally would have 3-4 drivers with dead-set chances of winning, and a good number of others who would also win if luck went their way.
I hated it at the time, but the whole concept of drivers who were specialists on particular surfaces (Panitzi and Rovanpera come to mind) was actually a good thing.

I also think David Richards was thinking in the right direction with his plan for WRC media coverage etc. but his timing and financial goals good at all.

[Sladden]

And in Corsica 2000 he was on course to move into the Championship lead. Without that one nasy accident... I would guess both 2000 and 2001 was his for the taking.
His strenth was also his weakness. Very natural behind the Wheel and super exiting to Watch. Not keen to do perfect lines or diciplined driving but from somewhere Deep inside a desire to take big risks. To go beyond the limits. That kind of attitude cannot last forever... unlike Loeb who drives perfect and just do the right choices and calculations.