CHAMPIONS LINE UP TO HONOUR MCRAE
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History was made last weekend, when 10 world champions came together in San Marino to remember Colin Mcrae a decade on from his death in 2007.
Crowds of close to 80,000 lined the 24-square miles, almost tripling the republic’s population for the weekend, for the Rallylegend event, which was organised to remember Mcrae.
The drivers and co-drivers present numbered 30 world titles between them, but it was Mcrae’s family which drew the biggest cheer and most emotional response. The 1995 world champion’s brother Alister drove the Subaru Legacy RS Colin used on the 1992 Swedish Rally, while his parents Jimmy and Margaret and daughter Hollie were all welcomed by a once-in-alifetime turnout.
Hollie, 19, told MN: “It’s amazing to come here and see all of this. After all these years you expect it to… not die down, but maybe be less of a big deal. You forget what a big deal it was. It’s amazing, there was an eight-year-old who came and asked gramps for his autograph. People who weren’t even alive back then are so enthused by it all. It’s really good that we can relive those days with events like that. And I got asked for my autograph! That was really nice, I got to sign a picture of my dad.
“I went to a few rallies dad was competing on, but I don’t know if the memories I have are my own or if they’re things I’ve been told by other people. What’s been really nice is the stories I’ve heard this weekend that I’d never heard before: there was so much stuff my dad did that I didn’t know before they mentioned it. Everybody’s here for one reason and that’s so nice. It’s nice that a few people have brought Johnny [Mcrae’s late son] up as well. Johnny wasn’t really part of this, but it’s nice when people remember him.”
Asked if she had intention of following in her father’s footsteps, Hollie replied: “I enjoy it, but I think my mum and gran would have a heart attack if I said yes!”
As well as the competition itself, the centrepiece of the weekend was a press conference attended by the family, the 10 champions and Mcrae’s two co-drivers, Derek Ringer and Nicky Grist.
Following an emotional standing ovation, Alister admitted the names in the room took some comprehending.
“It was incredible wasn’t it?” he said. “To see that number of world champions in one room, for one reason. I don’t think we’ll ever see that again.”
Alister helped recreate the Mcrae and Ringer partnership, with Derek co-driving him as they ran the Legacy as course car for the Rallylegend competition.
“Derek [Ringer] reckoned the car had 380bhp and weighed 1100 kilos in ’92,” Alister said. “Well, it’s put a bit of weight on and lost some of its power since then! And, I’ll be honest, my eyesight’s not what it was – but I wasn’t as bad as Derek, he couldn’t see a thing in the dark! But it’s been fantastic to be back in one of these cars again. We’ll not forget this weekend.”
Those sentiments were echoed around the San Marino Rally Village. Kris Meeke added: “The response for Colin has been just incredible. I’ve had guys coming to me to talk about Colin, their memories and they’ve had tears in their eyes. That was the sort of emotional response Colin could draw, he was simply one on his own. The best.”