VIDEO: 2012 WRC Wales Rally GB: Shakedown

Here's the highlights from the Rally GB shakedown, from a remarkable sunny and warm Wales... bring on the special stage action!

MUST-SEE VIDEO: Colin McRae + "Mad Manx" + MkII Escort = Rally Heaven

Some rare footage of our pal and much missed rally hero, Colin McRae is his favourite rally tool in his fully loaded rally weapon garage – his DJM-Motorsport prepared MkII Escort. Here it is in glorious action on the mental "Mad Manx" tarmac stages of the Isle of Man, with co-driver, PR guru and pal, Campbell Roy and battling with Phil Collins, his rival from Kilarney in Ireland and a Manx expert, also in a seriously sorted classic Escort.
This was the incredibly rally car Road Magazine Editor, Phil Royle co-drove with Colin in on his own McRae Stages Rally a year before he died. It was the most epic experience, tackling the narrow, twisty, mountainous gravel stages of his own event at full chat, on the bump stops and rev limiter, completely sideways... everywhere, mostly in sixth gear over 100mph. No motoring experience has ever come even close to topping it... and words can not describe the pace, excitement and honour I felt to sit alongside his amazing guy, in this phenomenal car, on that ace event. Thanks again to Dave and Julie at DJM and Campbell Roy for giving me the best motoring day of my life... I'll never forget it! Read all about the car's amazing "imagineering" specification and see more footage of the animal in action here: http://www.djm-motorsport.co.uk/mkii_escort_mcrae.html. Rallying does not get any better, I promise...  

VIDEO: Rally Canarias 2012 Andreas Mikkelsen S2000

And here's a brilliant Skoda Motorsport video of the present and future of Skoda rallying, with the fantastic, dominant Andreas Mikkelsen in the Fabia S2000 in action on the Rally Canarias, round two of the IRC (http://www.ircseries.com), on tarmac. The event was going spot on for Andreas – hunting out a win on asphalt – until a few issues hit the team, sadly. Still, Andreas is blitzing the 2012 IRC and we wish him well for the rest of the season. Check out the story and some amazing images of the S2000 in the latest issue of Road Magazine: http://issuu.com/roadonlinemagazine/docs/road_26_small/1