THE GREATEST WEEKEND IN BRITISH RALLY HISTORY
When the clock struck 1500hrs on Wednesday November 22 1995, a Subaru Impreza 555 was going to cross the finish ramp of the RAC Rally at Chester Racecourse with a new World Rally champion at the wheel. The question was, would it be Carlos Sainz or Colin McRae? Absolutely nothing separated them heading to the final round in the UK after what had been a fiercely competitive and unpredictable season of rallying.
It had been an explosive season too. The previous round in Spain was so dramatic it was fit for a soap opera. With Sainz eight seconds ahead of McRae after the penultimate day, Subaru decided to ask both drivers to hold station to guarantee the 1-2 finish. Toyota’s cynical foul (see sidebar. page 20) banished it from proceedings and made the drivers’contest a one-on-one, and McRae wasn’t prepared to cede five points to Sainz with 20 available to the winner and 15 for second.
The Scot defied the team orders and attacked the final six stages with a vengeance to beat Sainz by 9s in the Spaniard’s backyard; and he wasn’t prepared to give that victory up. Kicking a bin in frustration, McRae was exasperated. His father, Jimmy McRae, didn’t necessarily agree either but realised what was at stake.
“I said Colin, DR
