BIASION HEADS THE LINE-UP FOR CASTLE COMBE RALLY DAY
Italian back to the Wiltshire spectacular in September and will be joined by Jimmy and Alister Mcrae
Two-time World Rally champion Miki Biasion will return to Rallyday in September, joining a growing list of superstars of the sport attending the Castle Combe event.
The Italian will be joined at the September 21 event by Jimmy and Alister Mcrae and Hyundai’s latest WRC recruit Craig Breen.
Biasion told MN he’s excited to be going back to Rallyday, where he starred in a selection of Lancia Delta Integrales last season.
“I really enjoyed the event last year,” he told MN. “I couldn’t believe how much support, how many fans and the incredible cars. I look forward to the same this time, but maybe with some sunshine. I remember from my time at RAC [Rally] that it was raining a lot and last year it was the same. But it didn’t matter, the fans were there and the cars were still fantastic to drive.”
Mcrae Sr is a Rallyday regular, but the five-time British champion was happy to hear he’d be joined by son and fellow British title winner Alister.
Mcrae said: “Alister’s coming, is he? Good, tell him he can follow me around – I’ll show him the right line! Seriously, it’s great to have him with us. Rallyday’s such a special event and we always get such a warm welcome. It’ll be great to share that with Alister. It seems the team are lining up some interesting cars for us to drive, which will be great – just as long as mine are faster than his!”
Mcrae Jr flies into the event from his home in Perth, Western Australia.
He said: “Where I’m from now we have plenty of sunshine, barbecues and beaches, but the opportunities to drive some of the world’s best rally cars are probably a bit more limited than they are back in Britain. So, the chance to come home and say hello to a lot of folk I’ve not seen in ages and drive these cars is great.
“Dad’s always been a really big fan of Rallyday and the one-day format with a big focus on celebrating the sport with the fans and the spectators, and I’m looking forward to being part of that with him. And, obviously, showing him the fastest way around Castle Combe…”
Both Mcraes will drive a variety of machinery on the day, but among the highlights will be Jimmy driving the Vauxhall Chevette HSR he used in the 1980 British Rally Championship and Prodrive’s Rothmans-liveried MG Metro 6R4 – the car he campaigned in the 1986 British series and used to finish eighth overall on that year’s RAC Rally.
“That was never an easy car to drive back in the day,” said Mcrae, “and
I don’t suppose it’s any easier now – but it’s always fantastic to get in these machines again.”
Alister will run cars from both his and brother Colin’s careers.
Rallyday organiser Tom Davis said the event is shaping up to be one of the best.
“Having Jimmy and Alister is great news,” he said, “and bringing Craig over for the first time – with his Metro 6R4 – is a real coup for us. And now Miki, who promises he’s going to bring a friend – a friend who’s also a world champion – is even more exciting.
“Rallyday’s really coming together now. We’ve got lots of innovation for this year; a new Legends’ Stage, which includes sections of Castle Combe which haven’t been used by rally cars since the 1983 RAC Rally and plenty to keep people busy.
“We still have space for some more genuine rally cars if anybody’s interested in bringing their cars along.”
Clubman packages – which include plenty of track time and the opportunity to offer passenger rides in rally cars – are still available and reduced-price advance tickets are available from rallyday.com .