Skoda signs McRae for Rally GB

[Cotterik]

Skoda has confirmed that 1995 title winner Colin McRae will join the team for his home World Rally Championship event, the Wales Rally GB, in September. Rumours linking the Scot and the Czech team have done the rounds since McRae tested a Fabia WRC in Spain last October, but intensified at last weekend's Neste Rally Finland.

Ex-Subaru and Ford star McRae was forced out of the WRC when Citroen dropped him in favour of double world champion Carlos Sainz and the then up-and-coming Sebastien Loeb at the end of 2003. The 37-year-old competed in the Dakar Rally endurance rally and the Le Mans 24 Hours sportscar race in the last 12 months, as well as supporting the career of rising J-WRC star Kris Meeke, but has always insisted he'd like to return to the WRC - and, in particular, his home event - if the deal was right. He will be co-driven by long-term partner Nicky Grist.

"Rally GB is very special to me," McRae said. "I'm looking forward to competing on my home event and giving the fans something to cheer. This is an opportunity for me to utilise my experience to help Skoda develop the Fabia WRC. Although I've not competed in a World Rally Car since Rally GB 2003, the team have put together an extensive testing programme which will let me evaluate the Fabia and have it set up to my liking. It will also allow myself and Nicky to get ourselves up to speed before the event itself."

For Skoda, the deal is a major boost at a time when it's looking to confirm its plans for 2006. The team has had a difficult start to the 2005 season, but McRae's local knowledge from Rally GB victories in 1994, 1995 and 1997 and experience from competing in over 10 years of WRC events with 25 career wins could help the team to demonstrate the potential of the Fabia WRC.

Skoda team boss Joan Sureda said he was delighted that McRae was joining the team. "I'm very happy that we have the chance to bring Colin back to the WRC on this event because we know that he was keen to return to the championship," Sureda added. "He has a lot of experience on this rally which we will find very useful for our future development. I'm sure that the fans will be as excited about Colin's appearance as we are."

[Mustang]

Sorted

IM real pissed off now because i was supposed to be going marshalling, but it now turns out were not :'(

Think i mighthave to make the trip down there

[spi-ti-tout]

WHy oh WHy don't they have the Octavia?

[Matra et Alpine]

WHy oh WHy don't they have the Octavia?

because it was crap and uncompetitive.

Too big

[jorismo]

because it was crap and uncompetitive.

Too big

To big?? And how about the Impreza? It's about he same size as an Octavia and the Impreza is very competitive if you ask me...

[Matra et Alpine]

OCTAVIA:
Length: 4511 mm
Height: 1429 mm
Scooby:
Length: 4415 mm
Height: 1390 mm


4 inches ain't a lot, but with the wheelbase the same it DOES introduce a higher polar moment of inertia which isnt' ideal. The Fabia has shorter wheelbase and MUCH smaller overhang.

Also the Octavia was the "return" for Skoda so they were still re-learning what top rallying was about.

[Cotterik]

aye the octavia was a bit of a big-un for the wrc. Its a passat, who would rally a passat over the golf?

[spi-ti-tout]

The only thing I don't like about the Fabia WRC is that it's a SMALL car. Just like the 206. I really don't see the point in shorter smaller cars. I always imagine they're wheelbase is so small it can't conquer things like when it comes to places like Turkey or Acropolis because it's just so easy for stuff to get stuck inside more than longer cars and also on tarmac longer wheelbase cars cover more "ground".

[Matra et Alpine]

"cover more ground" heh ? SPEED covers the ground, not distance. Your'e timed from the front of your car starting to the fron of your car arriving.

Short wheelbase is VITAL as shorter wheelbase cars turn quicker and can chancge direction better. Downside is they are a handful to keep in a straigt line. But that's what the driver is paid for

[emperor]

But shorter cars are usually thinner with pretty much the same height as Impreza for example. So they flip over easier, which is pretty much dangerous.

[Matra et Alpine]

But shorter cars are usually thinner with pretty much the same height as Impreza for example. So they flip over easier, which is pretty much dangerous.

not really, the track on the WRC cars are increased.
Rally cars have enough suspension movement that IF a car flips then pretty much any of them would
Also, WRC cars have their weight WAY down in the car and pretty much under control of the designer.

[emperor]

I think that these classes of cars should be separated. There would be the WRC with cars like Impreza, Evo, Focus, Xsara etc. And in a second class which could be called "the second class" would include cars like Fabia, Clio, Yaris (just kidding) and especially SUZUKI SWIFT. Don't you think it's a little too much of a gap?

[Jack_Bauer]

I think that these classes of cars should be separated. There would be the WRC with cars like Impreza, Evo, Focus, Xsara etc. And in a second class which could be called "the second class" would include cars like Fabia, Clio, Yaris (just kidding) and especially SUZUKI SWIFT. Don't you think it's a little too much of a gap?

There is a seperate class for smaller cars, it's called the JWRC!

I think it's a bit much to class the Fabia with the likes of the Clio, Yaris and Swift. The Fabia is a fairly reasonable sized family hatchback, whereas the others are probably better classed as 'super-minis'.

[fpv_gtho]

Personally i like the variety of having the sedans like the Mitsu's, Imprezas and 307 against the Skoda, Xsara and Focus

[Spastik_Roach]

Personally i like the variety of having the sedans like the Mitsu's, Imprezas and 307 against the Skoda, Xsara and Focus

Agreeed. Makes it alot more interesting seeing different team strategies (This is one of the things rallying has over F1, lots more variety between the cars!)