MacCrone returns to WRCposted in RSCOT20 | 08 | 2015
THREE YEARS AFTER his debut podium in the World Rally Championship Academy, Scot John MacCrone returns to the blisteringly quick German tarmac today to tackle the four-day Rally Germany.
The 25-year-old, Scotland's most talented young rally driver, will pilot a Ford Fiesta R2 in the German round of the World Rally Championship as he begins his preparations for the 2016 season. The normally-aspirated car will be prepared by the Polish PZ Services team and run on DMack tyres.
And the Isle of Mull driver's development has been boosted by an expanded partnership with Watermans Accident Claims and Care, one of Scotland's leading personal injury firms.
“We have a track record of backing young Scottish sporting talent," Scott Whyte, managing director of Watermans, said, "and we're really impressed by John’s determination to show what he can do at the top level in rallying."
In his role as the company's road safety ambassador, MacCrone will also fly the flag for Team Rally Scotland.
The brainchild of Forfar businessman and rally professional Richard Moore, the innovative concept is designed to nurture young rallying talent, with the specific aim of putting Scotland back on the global rallying map.
And MacCrone, who dominated Scotland's high-speed all-tarmac event, the Mull Rally in 2013, is eager to get back into action after a 10-month lay-off from international competition.
Related: Scots rally chief backs safety proposals
“I've competed in Germany as part of the WRC Academy, when I scored my first podium, so have some knowledge of the event," MacCrone, who will be co-driven by Welshman Dai Roberts, said today.
"The stages are tough and offer many different challenges all in the same rally: tight twisty vineyards, open fast German back roads, and the daunting Panzerplatte which is lined with the famous 'hinklesteins', they're massive concrete kerbstones.
"It'll be great to use the two-wheel drive DMack Trophy competitors as a benchmark, even though they're driving the more powerful Fiesta R2 turbo cars. but it'll be interesting to see how close we can get.
"I haven't done any testing — though I did do a 30-mile rally at Knockhill earlier this year — so I think we have to be realistic with our hopes and aims.
"It'll take a little time to get back into the swing of things but once we do we will aim to be as competitive as we can.
"I worked with Watermans at the McRae Rally Challenge at Knockhill, so it’s great to have them back on board.”
The four-day Rally Germany — much of which is held on a tank training area, including two runs through the 28.5-mile stage at Baumholder — gets underway this evening in Trier.
The event then covers 232-miles over 21 stages in the narrow Mosel vineyards, the Eifel hills, Saarland country roads and Baumholder before finishing on Sunday.
Related: MacCrone wins Mull Rally
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Jim McGill
Caption: We're not quite sure why, but John MacCrone was given a rather giant pretzel to munch — could it be to fuel him up? — but one thing's for sure, his Watermans-backed Ford Fiesta R2 will be much faster than the taxi.