Colin McRae
Not, in statistical terms, the most successful driver the sport has known, but almost certainly its most famous and spectacular. McRae, son of five-time British champion and WRC podium finisher Jimmy, brought speed and drama in equal measure into the WRC, first with Ford Sierras and then with Subaru’s Legacy and Impreza models. The sight and sound of McRae fully lit in a blue-and-gold, boxer-engined Impreza 555 is part of motorsport folklore. After entering the winners’ circle in 1993, he became the sport’s youngest World Champion in ’95 with his second RAC Rally win. A high-profile move to Ford for ’99 bought more wins but another title eluded the Scot over his four seasons with the Blue Oval. After a year with Citroën in 2003, he finished his career with two outings for Skoda in ’05 and a final hurrah with Citroën the following year. There were rumours of a return to Subaru in 2008 but tragedy struck on September 15, 2007 when McRae, son Jonny and two family friends were killed in a helicopter crash at home in Scotland. Rallying had lost its biggest-ever star, with a following that’s unlikely ever to be matched.
WRC starts: 146
First WRC event: Sweden 1987
First podium finish: Sweden 1992
Wins: 25 (New Zealand 1993; New Zealand, GB 1994; New Zealand, GB 1995; Greece, Sanremo, Spain 1996; Safari, Corsica, Sanremo, Australia, GB 1997; Portugal, Corsica, Greece 1998, Safari, Portugal 1999; Spain, Greece 2000; Argentina, Cyprus, Greece 2001; Greece, Safari 2002)
Last WRC event: Turkey 2006
Stage wins: 477
Cars: Vauxhall, Peugeot, Ford, Subaru, Ford, Citroën, Skoda