As you are almost certainly aware by now, Colin McRae was tragically killed in the pilot's seat of his helicopter, in an accident yesterday at his home in Lanarkshire. Devastatingly, his 5 year old son was also on board, along with another child and another adult, who have, at time of press, not been named.
His wife, and 9 year old daughter, were not on board, and our heart felt condolences go to them, Alistair, Jimmy, and the rest of his family and friends today.
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Having personally witnessed Colin's flying a few times, I can tell you that he handled the helicopter with the natural ease and brilliance that he did a Car, or motorbike. But added to that, he was a safe, calculating and restrained pilot. My guess is that the accident would have been caused by a mechanical problem.
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Colin McRae was the reason I :
a) got heavily into rallying in the first place.
b) bought my first Subaru, and
c) subsequently ran ScoobyNet
d) personally came to be earning a good part of my living in WRC
He is one of the absolute key reasons that many of us like Subarus, and those who simply love the marque (and not because of Colin), probably would not have, if it hadn't been for him creating the phenomenal success of the Legacy and then Impreza.
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His flamboyant style was a double edged sword. He was FANTASTIC to watch, but when you're going that fast, you're going to have the odd hickup. Consequently, he was regarded by many as reckless. I can tell you now, this wasn't the case.
He was just an unstoppable competitor. He had self belief, and so much NEED to compete, and to be the best, that he just didn't bloody slow down! He just kept changing up through the gears!
As a driver, to watch the in-car footage of his mastery was both an education, and an exercise in complete and total demoralization.
He had no idea how he was able to make a car do what he could, let alone anyone else working it out!
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There are many things that will stick in people's minds about Colin, and I couldn't possibly count them myself, but for me, the true spirit of Colin was in the times when we would be watching the results, always so many of the people working in WRC would want Colin to do well - he was always the people's champion. He'd be trailing by 10 seconds, and struggling to make any ground on whoever was leading. But then you'd watch the live split times coming in and, out of nowhere, he'd be flying.. taking imaginably huge chunks of time out of everyone, on a single stage - to take the lead by a seemingly impossible turn of speed. He'd "have his head on", and at times like that there was no stopping him.
What he did on those occasions has still not been matched to this day. He was the fastest man on earth, and the stories and hard evidence to back that up are limitless.
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Colin, thank you for everything. You've been a personal inspiration, and a hero to so many of us. You've left an outrageously enviable legacy (if you excuse the pun), and your impact on British motorsport will live on for years to come.
Our deepest respect and thoughts are with Colin's family.
Simon, and ScoobyNet.
Colin McRae
