Alister McRae comes from a family steeped in the sport; son of five-times British Rally Champion Jimmy, and brother of former World Rally Champion Colin, and the 31-year-old Scot has the same natural driving ability and determination to succeed at the highest level.

Alister’s first foray into the World Championship was on home territory in Britain’s RAC Rally in 1991, but his focus was on conquering the British Rally Championship, one of the world’s most successful national championships. By the end of 1992 he and co-driver David Senior had secured the title driving a Group N Ford Sierra, and then went on to win the series outright in 1995 in a Formula 2 Nissan Sunny.

In 1997 he began a two-year spell with Volkswagen, contesting a mixture of British and World Rally Championship events. During this and the following year, the Scot’s talents shone through and he scored no fewer than six Formula 2 victories, including three in Britain as well as taking category honours in Portugal, Finland and Australia. He also rounded the 1998 season off with a high-profile outing in the Subaru Impreza, partnering brother Colin in their home round of the World Championship. A stunning drive - his first in a world rally car - saw him running second overall until an accident put paid to a podium finish. The Scot was nevertheless on the road to success and in 1999 he joined the Korean manufacturer Hyundai, spearheading its assault on the World 2-Litre Championship.

Alister enjoyed success with the team, scoring its maiden win on the Rallye de Portugal and finishing second in New Zealand. He took another category win in China, finishing 10th overall amid heated world rally car competition, and this, combined with his Asian outings, not only secured the Asia-Pacific Formula 2 Manufacturers’ Championship, but also the drivers’ title, tied alongside team-mate Kenneth Eriksson.

The year 2000 was his first full year piloting a world rally car, the Korean manufacturer joining the registered World Championship contenders. It was a year of mixed fortune with much time spent developing the car, but Alister’s seventh position in Argentina scored the team its first points in the Manufacturers’ Championship.

2001 started well, seventh overall on the Rallye Monte-Carlo demonstrating his ability in his debut outing over the treacherous French mountain roads. He then scored his first point in the World Championship in Portugal by finishing sixth, and rounded the season off with an impressive fourth on the season finale in Great Britain.

For the 2002 season, Alister and co-driver David Senior join the multiple Championship winning team of Mitsubishi Ralliart. Driving the Lancer Evolution WRC, the pairing now have a real chance of fighting with the leading contenders and scoring their first World Championship rally victory.