Richard Burns was today crowned the new World Rally champion after finishing third in the Network Q Rally of Great Britain. The 30-year-old secured the drivers' title by two points from Scottish rival Colin McRae to become the first-ever Englishman and only the second Briton to win the title.
Finland's outgoing champion Marcus Gronholm won the four-day rally by two minutes 27 seconds from team-mate and countryman Harri Rovanpera to ensure Peugeot retained the manufacturers' title but Burns finished three minutes 27 seconds behind Gronholm in his Subaru, enough to give him and Scottish co-driver Robert Reid the points they needed to overhaul McRae who crashed out on the second day when leading.
"This is an amazing feeling, I can't believe it," said Burns after clinching the title in an event marred by the crash involving the Ford of Carlos Sainz yesterday which left 13 injured. Burns has been runner-up in the title race for the past two years and despite winning just one of this season's 14 rounds, a good finish to the season which saw him earn 29 points from his last six events.
Burns is set to join Peugeot in a £4.5million deal next year but could face a tug of war with Subaru who have said that they have an option in his contract to retain him should be champion. "The contract is a private matter," said Subaru Team principal David Lapworth. "We are enjoying the moment and are ready for a party tonight. We will be discussing the future with Richard this week."
Filed by Amanda Fennelly
