Rouse: Rolling back the years
While Michael Caine might have had some trepidation about inviting Andy Rouse to strap himself into the cockpit of his Ford Sierra RS500, there was none of that from the four-time champion himself.
Having confirmed that the car Caine had bought was his 1988 racer, he was delighted when the owner invited him to get back behind the wheel of a machine that had taken him to six wins that season and third place in the overall standings and the Class A title.
“I felt at home straight away and the really impressive thing was the engine: I couldn’t believe how powerful it was,” says Rouse. “You don’t feel that sort of torque and power very often. Mind you, it has been a while since I have been in a racing car and put my foot flat to the floor.”
The power was something that Rouse was used to taming back in the day, and he was pleased that the original aspects of the car – the huge amounts of grunt – took him straight back in time to a different era of tin-top racing.
“I only did a couple of laps at Silverstone but I could have gone on all afternoon – but Michael wouldn’t let me! It was nice to be back in the pitlane and see some old friends. It was like stepping back in time.”
Given how emotional the story of the RS500 is, there is every chance Rouse will get the opportunity to sample it again in the future.