Wednesday 20 May 2015

Rally - The last word



Further to yesterday’s post regarding something which was said in the heat of the moment by a top driver, I think it’s safe to report it now - even if he did manage to buy a copy of ‘Motorsport News’ in Glasgow airport this morning. If he’s on the flight it’s too late to seek redress!

I also wondered if MSN would print it, or if they would edit it out. Well, they printed it, but with a few more asterisks than mine.

If you didn’t recognise Alister McRae’s co-driver at the weekend, then no surprise there, it’s 30 years since Craig Ritchie last clutched a mapboard and climbed into a rally car. But when Alister asked, how could he refuse?

Anyway, the re-learning progress was swift and positive. But after it was all over, Craig told me of one particular moment in the car. It was on the 8th (of 10) stages and they were leading, not comfortably but in control, until the hill section after a sharp, heavy rain shower.  The Proton stepped out and put a rear wheel over the edge of the rain slicked concrete into soft mud, which dragged the car off the road.

Meanwhile, Craig was uttering sweet and gentle words of encouragement (!) about keeping it going when he distinctly heard his driver say over the intercom: "Sorry Colin, looks like I've f*ck*d up."

Alister kept it lit, plunged through a gap in the trees and back on to the road. No apology needed.

Kind of sums up the day, eh?

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