About Colin McRae (1968-2007)

A motorsport legend and a winning personality

The son of Jimmy McRae, 5-time British rally champion, Colin was born on 5th August 1968 in Lanark, Scotland. He became a motorsport legend thanks to his outstanding natural talent and his spectacular, all out driving, which at first earned him the nickname "Colin McCrash".

 

A style apart

Colin’s unique approach ultimately paid-off and in 1995 he became Britain’s first and youngest World Rally Champion and eventually went on to record an impressive 25 world championship victories. He was also honoured by the Queen with an MBE (Member of the British Empire) for his outstanding achievement.

 

Worldwide recognition

His instinctive, visionary character and his innate ability behind the wheel made Colin the stand-out driver of his generation, while his engaging personality and charisma ensured that this recognition spread far beyond the confines of motorsport. Whether you knew him or not, everybody seemed to have a soft spot for Colin. The introduction of his eponymous video game Colin McRae, introduced Colin to an even wider audience. His active involvement in the game's development contributed to its phenomenal success and with around 10 million copies sold, it remains the world's most popular rally title.

Special stage, circuit or public highway, the Scot’s drive for perfection covered everything he put his name to. This included the launch of his licensed brand of racewear, colinmcraesport and his vision of the ultimate racing car, the Colin McRae R4. Unveiled at the 2007 Goodwood Festival of Speed, the barely set-up R4 still clocked the fastest rally stage time of the event.

 

A lasting legacy of exacting passion

Colin's death in September 2007, in a tragic helicopter accident, was a massive loss to the motorsport community and beyond. However, the memory of this unique individual continues through the friendships he forged and the projects he initiated. As a fitting tribute to him, colinmcraesport sponsors teams and upcoming drivers to ensure that his passion for the sport he loved lives on.

Visit colinmcrae.com, the official Colin McRae website, for more. For an overview of Colin's carrer visit Colin's Wikipedia entry.