RIP Colin McRae

Colin Steele McRae was a Scottish World Rally Championship driver, the son of five-time British Rally Champion, Jimmy McRae and older brother of professional driver Alister McRae. He won the world driver's title in 1995, was championship runner-up in 1996, 1997 and 2001, and third in 1998.

At approximately 4:10 pm on 15 September 2007, an AS350B2 Squirrel helicopter registered G-CBHL to McRae crashed 1 mile north of Lanark, Scotland, close to the McRae family home. McRae's agent Jean-Eric Freudiger has stated that McRae was piloting the helicopter at the time of the crash. Police confirmed the next day that McRae, his five year old son Johnny, and two family friends, Graeme Duncan and Johnny's six year old friend Ben Porcelli,died in the crash.

Speaking on behalf of the whole family, Colin's father, Jim McRae, said today:

"It is with much sadness and regret that we have to make this statement.

It is unbelievable that Colin and Johnny's lives have been taken so prematurely and in such a tragic manner.

Colin was a great son, a loving husband to Alison and a fantastic father to Johnny and his big sister Hollie. Johnny was a great wee guy, spending every spare minute with his dad, and even at this early stage it looked like he had the potential to carry on the family dynasty.

Our thoughts are also very much with the families of Ben Porcelli and Graeme Duncan. Ben was a great buddy of Johnny's and they had always spent a lot of time together both in and out of school. Graeme, who now resides in France, had been a close friend of Colin's since their schooldays and was back in Lanark on holiday.

We are thankful for the overwhelming number of messages of support we have received from all around the world. Colin was very much an inspiration and role model to motorsport fans the world over.

As you can imagine this is a very difficult time for the family and we would ask that our privacy be respected and we be allowed to grieve in private."

COLIN McRAE Video Tribute

Source: Wikipedia, colinmcrae.com