Shelsley Walsh Classic Nostalgia

Mcrae tribute sees Colin’s Ford tackle the tarmac

Apair of ex-colin Mcrae rally cars crowned a heavily rally-themed extravaganza at Shelsley Walsh Speed Hill Climb, with cars of the Eighties and Nineties making a striking contrast with the usual sight of Sixties sports-racers and single-seaters.

Ford Focus WRC

‘This is Colin Mcrae’s 2001 Portuguese Rally car, and the only Ford Focus to have been campaigned by four works drivers,’ said Graham Sherry of his newlyrestored Wrc-spec car. ‘Colin blew the engine up in Portugal, before going on to end the season just two points off Richard Burns after crashing in Wales. It was the battle of the Brits, unforgettable.

‘After Portugal, it was used by Mcrae’s teammate François Delacour for the rest of the season but was involved in a big accident in Australia in which the roll cage was damaged. Ford M-sport rebuilt it for the 2002 season, by which point they’d changed their driver lineup so it was driven by Markko Martin and François Duval. Its best result was fourth on the Safari Rally in 2002 with Martin.

‘After its works career it ended up in Hungary before returning to the UK and running in the BTRDA with Mike O’brien. Paul Bern, formerly of M-sport, has restored it over the last three years.’

MG Metro 6R4

Another post-restoration debut after years spent in storage, this Group B monster was on special display in the paddock. ‘It was driven by Colin Mcrae and Nicky Grist on the 2006 Donegal International Rally, during which Mcrae infamously locked the rear brakes while going flat-out, and saved the car from crashing by spinning it down an escape road,’ said restorer Ian Barkaway.

‘It’s a full works-specification Group B car, not one of the Group A-spec Clubmans machines,’ said Barkaway. ‘Colin’s father Jimmy drove a 6R4 in the British Championship, and Colin was always a bit jealous of this, wishing he’d driven during the Group B era. So, during the 2006 season, Colin spotted an opportunity to rally a 6R4, bought this one and entered it on the Donegal International.’ Mcrae finished eighth in the then-20-year-old car, amid a field of modern WRC cars.

‘We’re still trying to research its early history, because it was definitely a works-spec car rather than a privateer car,’ said Barkaway. ‘We know it was rallied in 1986, and was number 152 of the original 200-car build run. This one has things like the extra set of injectors and its original ignition system that needed setting up with an old DOS laptop – not things the customer cars had.’

Hyundai Coupé F2

Another Mcrae car – driven by Colin’s brother Alistair – this F2-spec Hyundai Coupé was making its first public appearance after restoration to original specification last year.

‘It was built by Motor Sport Developments as a recce car for Hyundai’s WRC team, although cars like this also ran in the F2 Cup for front-wheel drive cars at the time,’ said owner Andy Wooldridge. ‘Alistair used it to reconnoitre stages on the 2000 Rally Australia, although he used an Accent WRC to compete.’ Unfortunately it suffered suspension failure, putting him out of the rally.

‘After Australia it got shipped back to MSD and sold to privateer Ben Williams, and it was rallied in the UK on and off, until I decided to restore it to its original specification as Alistair’s car last year.’