Results
| ROC winner | Colin McRae |
| ROC finalist | Alister McRae |
| ROC semi-finalists | Auriol and Sainz |
overview
After a closely fought battle between the McRae brothers, it was elder brother Colin’s greater experience in a four wheel drive rally car which ultimately saw him snatch a 2-1 victory over Alister by winning the third and decisive heat of the final in Toyota Corolla WRCs.
Previously, the match stood tantalisingly poised at 1-1 after Colin had just managed to edge out Alister in the Escort Mk1s. But the younger Scot had come back with a vengeance in the front-wheel-drive Peugeot 306 Maxis. It was Colin’s first victory in the event, having previously been the defeated finalist in 1992, 1995 and 1997.
To reach the final, Colin had to beat three-time champion, Didier Auriol (1993, 1994 and 1996) in the semi-final, a feat made easier when the Frenchman damaged a wheel after a collision with a barrier.
Alister McRae had shown excellent form all weekend, winning the International Rally Masters competition before almost completing the double with The Race Of Champions. Alister demonstrated his prowess by disposing of Carlos Sainz’s challenge in the semi-final after Sainz had eliminated the considerable threat of Stig Blomqvist in the quarter-finals, albeit courtesy of a 10-second penalty imposed upon the Swede.
The Classic Masters competition was won by Italy’s former World Rally Champion, Miki Biasion.
