It's just the most terrible thing.
McRae really planted rallying into my mind at a reasonably young age in a way I doubt anyone else could have. He just was the most flamboyant, gritty determined driver and British to boot. Definitely someone to be proud of.
I can't claim to have known him of course, that would be ridiculous, but I did have the pleasure of meeting him a number of times when he drove for Ford as they tested not too far away from me. But this was enough, for me anyways, to appreciate just what a down to earth and lovely bloke he was. He even gave me a hat and a copy of the "Ford & McRae" book one day.
I truly admired him and was so gutted when he rolled out of Rally GB in 2001.
This also means we have lost both our champions, our only world rally champions, before they even hit 40 years of age.
A truly awful loss and what makes it worse is it seems family members were involved.
RIP Colin.
