Colin McRae
Colin McRae
Colin McRae at the X Games XIII
World Rally Championship record
Nationality
British
Scottish
Active years
1987–2003, 2005-2006[1]
Teams
Subaru, Citroën, Ford,
Škoda
Rallies
146
Championships 1 (1995)
Rally wins
25
Podium
finishes
42
Stage wins
477
Total points
626
First rally
1987 Swedish Rally
First win
1993 Rally New Zealand
Last win
2002 Safari Rally
Last rally
2006 Rally of Turkey
Colin Steele McRae, MBE (5 August 1968 –
15 September 2007) was a Scottish rally
driver born in Lanark.
The son of five-time British Rally Champi-
on Jimmy McRae and brother of rally driver
Alister McRae, Colin McRae was the 1991
and 1992 British Rally Champion and, in
1995, became the first Briton to win the
World Rally Championship Drivers’ title.
McRae’s Subaru won the World Rally
Championship Constructors’ title three times
in succession in 1995, 1996 and 1997. After a
four year spell with the Ford World Rallye
Sport team, which saw McRae win nine
events, he moved to Citroën World Rally
Team in 2003 where, despite not winning an
event, he helped them win the first of their
three consecutive manufacturers’ titles. He
was appointed a Member of the Order of the
British Empire for services to motorsport in
1996.[2] McRae died in a helicopter accident
in September 2007 which also claimed the
life of his son as well as two family friends.
In November 2008 he was inducted into
the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame.
Personal and early life
McRae was married to Alison,[3] and had two
children, Hollie and Johnny.[4] McRae moved
to the principality of Monaco in 1995, partly
through
his
friendship
with
David
Coulthard.[5] However, as his young family
grew up, he spent more time back at his
home in Lanarkshire - accepting the higher
tax liability of
living in Scotland.[6] The
couple bought the 17th century Jerviswood
House.
Career
Early career
Colin McRae began his competitive career in
motorsport riding trial bikes at an early age,
despite being more
interested
in
four
wheeled machines rather than two wheel
bikes.[7] At t