Former Colin McRae Co-Driver Nicky Grist talks through what is was like to co-drive for the legendary Colin McRae during the St Gwynno Stage of Wales Rally GB 2001.
Watched it soon as I was home, did already keen this footage, it's by far the most insane rally onboard ever made. What Ronin is for car chases this is onboard rally at its best !
I guess I watch this onboard every couple of months but it never gets old. It’s the most amazing display of talent. My favourite motorsport video. Thanks Nicky for adding to the magic. 😊
That quick right over crest at @7:38 is mad. He's flat out in 6th, the car jumps and after the crest there are logs at the side of the road he barely misses. What a guy!
Great to see Nicky comment on this video from an intimate level. I also really enjoyed his talk with Chris Harris on the collecting cars pod cast which I also recommend to you all. This video is quite sentimental to me actually. I’m visible with my dad and primary school best friend in the video at one of the first tasty hair pins at 2:44. We live right at the bottom of St Gwynno so a 15 minute walk to the top of the mountain from my garden door with my dad as a child and watching these cars scream past and flick stones everywhere are memories that will stay with me forever, especially seeing my hero’s Burns, Sainz and McRae literally on my back yard which will never happen again. I remember the first time this stage was used (98/99) we were late waking up to see the first cars. The alarm clock ended up being the pole position cars echoing through the valleys, a surreal noise to hear at sunrise. Another memory was seeing the majority of these cars and drivers driving to the start position of St Gwynno, which meant using the local public roads - right passed the front of my house in Abercwmboi. Memories of seeing world rally cars banging and spluttering passed my front door will also stay with me forever. 2001 was by far the best year for WRC - the next stage after we see Colin here is where his battle with Burns all ended on the Rhondda stage where he flipped ‘out’ of the championship, giving the victory to burns. We’ll never see rivalry like that again. Brill video Nicky!
I don't think you could find the words to describe what it was like to watch Colin drive in the flesh...But two men at the top of their game. Blows my mind that you can read pace notes to that standard while low level flying Nicky...big stones 👍
I was spectating at the hairpin on 2:47 as a 14 year old. I spectated on the same corner the previous 4 years in a row. I knew what to expect in terms of the lines and speed the drivers use. You could hear the howl of the focus coming up the hill on the rev limiter at points. Colin and Nicky burst from behind the bush facing the complete opposite direction I was expecting. Without (seemingly) losing speed he flicked the Focus the opposite way and then back through the corner. The crowd gathered is going wild, with airhornes and fireworks going off. He leaves our sight as quickly as he appeared. The buzz in the air was electric! Next up was Burnsie. He takes the more traditional Line I was expecting. Neat and tidy, but nowhere near as spectacular as Colin and I swear McRae was visible faster! (That’s how I remember it!). We moved onto the next stage and I remember my late father saying “I wonder if he’ll be able To keep that pace up?”. We listened to rally radio and it said Mcrae had a huge off. I was beyond gutted. Burnsie was a deserved world champion. People often point to this crash as the reason he wasn’t WC that year. But I always say it was Turing up late for road selection in Oz that cost him.
Agree completely. We missed the first stage that morning due to too many beers the night before. So we headed for the second one. We were down the stage a bit further on when the first car came through and it wasn't Colin. I was sick 😢 but anyway Richard did deserve his world title. The Australia drama was where the damage was done though, as Colin said himself on tv " If Gary connelly wants to play like that then that's up to him. But he's after costing me a world championship "
I visit the original onboard often and can honestly say it's probably one of the best onboards I've ever watched.. It's absolutely spectacular and will be shown to the grandkids so they know what Colin was about...
I loved Colin but Nicky is THE VOICE of WRC. Absolutely a legend. Much much respect for all you have done, for all the joy you have given us rally fans during the golden era of wrc.
I remember heading up into the forest very early that morning.. and standing high up on a pile of cut logs as you and Colin went past meters from us absolutely flat out!!. You were both as talented and brave as each other.. and it made for the perfect team back then. Thanks for sharing Nicky, they were golden times 👍
@chrisfisher168 he didn't like being called that. It was the press that dubbed that name. Statistically he didn't crash anymore often than tommi Mäkinen. Unjustified nickname!
An absolute pleasure to hear Nicky give a commentary on this onboard, seeing that Focus WRC pushed to its limits by Colin and to have the calm, soothing pacenotes read by Nicky, it is the best onboard of all time.
I love that Nicky is so still so proud to have co-driven Colin.. Still not sure who was more bonkers of pair 😆. Keep giving us content Nicky, the more detail and the more in-depth the better.
This is so special to hear this from Nicky. I have listened to all of his interviews and most enjoy hearing about the technique and car control of Colin. These two did legendary things in motorsport. Cheers from the States Nicky!
This in my opinion is the best ever on board followed closely by your escapades in Donegal in 2006 in the Metro 6R4 where I had the pleasure of watching you two blast up Knockalla.
@Nicky Grist Motorsports This comes from yours and Colin's big fan. ❤ This is such nice talk through the iconic stage. I'm rewatching it a lot of times as yours and Colin's style is my inspiration through life either if this are the notes or the driving style and the approach or commitment. You know i'm just able to enjoy the rally driving from the simulation side than real life as it takes a fair amount of money and maybe some luck and time to get there. I don't believe performances like this will ever repeat again with those agressive small rally cars, the whistling engines, sideways driving style which also the cars was supporting as nowadays in the WRC it became a bit more schematic approach. That's why it is very special to this day. And the fact that you was so calm while reading the notes and there was so much trust between each other in the car is mindblowing! Especially at that stage and the performance set :) Thank you for guiding us again through such great memories. And let's remember tomorrow's date 05.08 :) The last thing i'm adding here I did a tribute video for your pairing back then, I would be very happy and honoured if there would be any chance that you could have a look at it :) RBR Pro - Colin McRae Virtual Onboard (Tribute) ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-k10O0XKLE4o.html
slightly off the topic but still relevant to the McRae family history, I'd love to know who Jimmy's father was, what was his name etc... can't find any history of the McRae family before Jimmy and it'd be nice to know a bit more of a background of their family. The only other dot I'm able to connect (whether it is connected I don't know) is the McRae clan from the early 20th century during ww1 times. I for one would love to know more of their family history. RIP Colin.
I don’t think he was driving , looks more like a slot car where there is a groove in the road and a peg under the car and the car just follow the groove at full speed 😂
I always wondered how it felt to be on the other side of the car. Obviously when he was rallying in Scotland and the whole UK, he would have been in UK cars driving on the right. Wonder why UK drivers didn't drive on the right side of the car. I've been to England and Wales, really didn't have any issues driving on the other side of the car/road but I also wasn't going flat out, sideways. Wonder if it would have helped, even marginally.