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."