9 replies to this topic

[duby]

hellow

 

in 95' colin took the world title with derek ringer and then they split ways and niki grist took the seat.
was there any reason for that ?

 

tnx

duby

[Tim Murray]

McRae and Ringer stayed together to defend their world title in 1996, but suffered a series of incidents. My understanding is that another major accident on the 1,000 Lakes was the last straw for Dave Richards at Prodrive. He decided that McRae needed a more experienced co-driver who might be able to keep a tighter rein on Colin's somewhat impetuous temperament. McRae's contract was up for renewal, and he was told that if he wanted to stay at Subaru, Ringer had to go. Thus Ringer got the push, and Nicky Grist was recruited to sit alongside Colin.

[Glengavel]

That's interesting. I've always heard Colin portrayed as the villain of the piece, not Dave Richards.

[Tim Murray]

I do get the impression that the relationship between McRae and Ringer had deteriorated, so perhaps Colin didn't take too much persuasion to ditch Derek. Here's what Keith Oswin wrote in Autosport's 1996 World Rally Review:

[McRae] destroyed another car [on the 1,000 Lakes] and set the seal on the controversial termination of his long-standing partnership with co-driver Derek Ringer. If McRae wanted to stay with Subaru, Ringer had to go and 1997 will see Nicky Grist alongside McRae in the new World Rally Car.

[Catalina Park]

From what I recall whenever he won it was all down to the driver and when he crashed it was all down to the co-driver.

I remember he ended up back with Ringer for a short time after blaming Grist for all his problems.

[2F-001]

I don't think the decision reflected too badly on Ringer's abilities though - it was just that someone more experienced, and perhaps a touch more authoritative, was needed to contain McRae's 'exuberance'. I can remember seeing a few in-car videos in which it was pretty clear that Grist was 'in charge' in the cockpit (and occasionally quite stern with his driver - e.g: "Listen to me, Colin." when he seemed to be not following the notes - but not losing his cool). 

 

Mind you, it seemed to take a long time to calm him down. One might presume that that had something to do with the break up of that partnership, although I believe both Ringer and Grist returned to sit alongside Colin later on in other events.

Edited by 2F-001, 20 January 2016 - 09:56.

[chunder27]

Co drivers often get all the grief for incidents.

 

And Colin was hardly an easy person to get along with over those years from a co drivers point of view.

 

I think back then they were probably able to be paid individually by the team rather than the driver as it used to be.

 

I also think Colin enjoyed being with Nicky more. But the Focus crashes brought that relationship to an end and he went with Ringer again with Citroen didnt he?

 

Tricky one, most drivers try and keep a co driver, Burns did, as did Carlos for most of his career and look at Markko Martin, cut off in his prime and seemingly unable to brave it again after Beef got killed. Such a shame for both.

[RS2000]

We have discussed this before in a thread about the TV programmes by famous people about their motorsport heroes (by Chris Hoy in McRae's case).

I stand by what I wrote then. McRae was the "greatest ever Briton" when it came to UK rallies without notes but was too much his own man and simply not capable of building the sort of relationship with a co-driver that the likes of Sainz/Moya had. Sadly that totally independent streak probably killed him.

[BRG]

Co drivers often get all the grief for incidents.

Ain't that the truth. 

[GeoffR]

Can remember him being interviewed after Grist had booked into a time control early. Question: 'How did that happen Colin?'. Answer (not happy tone): 'Ask the Welsh Wizard!!'