22/11/2025

On this day in 1995, Colin McRae became the UK’s first world rally champion

On 22 November 30 years ago at Chester racecourse, there was smoke billowing from the wheels of a navy-blue Subaru Impreza madly spinning. These celebratory donuts were performed by newly crowned 1995 world rally champion Colin McRae, accompanied by a Saltire held by co-driver Derek Ringer flailing out of the window.

It is an image that is impossible to forget for British rally fans, and likewise rally enthusiasts the world over. There is a very real chance that this column would not exist had this writer, then aged eight and obsessed with cars, not been swept up by McRae mania in the 1990s. Tuning into the BBC coverage of the 1995 RAC Rally and hanging on every word delivered by presenter Steve Lee and the flat-capped Tony Mason, thrusting microphones into the cockpits of the crews at stages ends, remains to this day one of my most vivid motorsport memories growing up.

McRae’s battle against Subaru team-mate Carlos Sainz to become world rally champion was box office and one could only think how ballistic it would have been in a social media generation. Prior to the 1995 season, McRae had already endeared himself to the public as one of the most spectacular drivers on the planet. But this was the year when McRae added glory to his infamous “if in doubt, flat out” approach that had won him legions of fans, who seemingly all rolled out to line the stages in the final round 30 years ago.

McRae’s charge to what would be his only world title was far from straightforward. McRae and Sainz headed into the season finale level on points after tempers boiled over at the penultimate round in Spain. Sainz led McRae by eight seconds into the final day, which prompted then Subaru boss David Richards to issue team orders to hold position. This wasn’t received well by McRae, who ignored the call and went on to win the rally, before deliberately checking in late to hand Sainz the victory.

It set up a tension-filled grandstand finish in Great Britain that began with an opening day dubbed a ‘Spectator Sunday’ as crews blasted around stages in the grounds of stately homes at Tatton Park and Chatsworth. There was also a visit to Formula 1 Grand Prix venue Donington Park that hosted a super special.

That Chatsworth stage rang alarm bells for Sainz, who suffered a damaged radiator from his dip through the famous water splash. McRae had no such worries, ending the day in third overall, crucially 14 seconds ahead of rival Sainz, while the Mitsubishi duo of Tommi Makinen and Kenneth Eriksson led the way. At this point, McRae had already bagged some silverware winning the BBC Top Gear trophy for being fastest during a section of the Donington Park stage.

“Hopefully we are carrying a bigger bit of silverware at the end,” quipped McRae, before cheekily adding, “Tony Mason [BBC Top Gear Rally Report interviewer] said there was going to be a big bag of cash, but you know what Tony is like.”

The second leg started with McRae winning stage eight [Hamsterley] by a whopping 28 seconds to move into the overall rally lead after Makinen was forced to retire with suspension damage. But McRae’s charge was halted by a puncture caused by a rock through Pundershaw (36.5 miles), the longest stage of the entire WRC season. It cost him two minutes and the rally lead to Sainz, who stormed into a 1m14s advantage despite suffering a radiator issue.

“We had a puncture 12 miles in. I saw the rock, it wasn’t a bad rock so I went over it and Kenneth did exactly the same thing. I don’t know what has happened and the Pirelli guys don’t really have an answer, so it was just unlucky really,” said McRae.

Thirty years on McRae remains that people’s champion, a rallying buzzword and an icon that transcends the sport

Sadly the misfortune continued as another collision with a rock damaged the Impreza’s front-right suspension, but a roadside repair was enough to limp back to service.

“It was a small problem that turned into a big one. We hit a small rock in a graded section and it bent the strut slightly, and the tyre was rubbing on the strut, and it burst the tyre. It keeps it interesting,” said McRae with a wry smile, having managed to cut Sainz’s lead down to 39 seconds.

It was on the wet and foggy Welsh forest roads for leg three, travelling through the holy grail stages of Hafren Sweet Lamb, Brechfa, Crychan and Cefn, where McRae lit the blue touch paper. Colin’s brother Alister, lying fifth overall driving a Ford Escort RS Cosworth, was convinced his sibling would catch and overtake Sainz, and by mid-afternoon Colin was just five seconds behind. Colin then blitzed Sweet Lamb by 22s to move into a 17s lead ahead of the final day.

“It all seemed to come fairly easily and we weren’t pushing or taking any chances it was under control. It just seemed to click,” said McRae.

The charge continued on the final day as McRae pulled clear of Sainz, taking 15s out of the Spaniard across the opening three stages. The thousands of fans that lined the stages were looking at Britain’s first world rally champion, as McRae seemed to breeze to victory greeted by the words “spot on” by Ringer as they crossed the finish. The margin was 36s ahead of Sainz, with future world champion Richard Burns completing a 1-2-3 for Subaru, as the Japanese marque secured the constructors’ title from Mitsubishi.