David Senior’s career in rallying began in 1980 navigating in local road rallies, before joining David Young in a Mk II Ford Escort for his first taste of stage rallying. In 1986 the duo joined the British Junior Rally Team, notching up the highest team placing in the South Swedish Rally and Britain’s RAC Rally in a Vauxhall Nova.

During 1987 he partnered Simon Stubbings, the double Group N British Champion, and Andy Knights in the British Rally Championship before joining forces with Alister McRae in 1988.

The pair tackled the Scottish Rally Championship, again in a Vauxhall Nova, and went on to win the highly prized Shell Scholarship in 1991 driving a Group N Sierra. Their success continued in 1992 when they took Group N wins in no fewer than seven events in the British Open Championship, outright victory in the Granite City and Lakeland Stages rallies, and the Group N win in Britain’s round of the FIA World Rally Championship.

In 1993 David and Alister finished third overall in the British Championship at the wheel of a Subaru Legacy, but it was not until 1994 that they experienced their first taste of works competition when they joined Nissan for an assault on the British series.

Development problems with the Formula 2 machinery hampered their charge, but by the following year the duo had clinched the title outright. A switch to Volkswagen for the 1997/1998 seasons saw them contest a mixture of British and World Rally Championship events and the pairing notched up no fewer than six Formula 2 victories, three at home and three overseas. They also rounded the 1998 season off with a fine drive in Britain’s round of the World Championship, partnering Alister’s brother Colin in the second works Subaru.

In 1999 David and Alister joined Hyundai for an assault on the World 2-Litre Championship. They enjoyed success with the team, scoring its maiden win on the Rallye de Portugal and finishing second in New Zealand. Another category win in China, finishing 10th overall amid heated world rally car competition, combined with their Asian outings, not only secured the Asia-Pacific Formula 2 Manufacturers’ Championship, but also the driver and co-driver title.

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

2001 started well, seventh overall on the Rallye Monte Carlo demonstrating David and Alister’s ability in their debut outing over the treacherous French mountain roads. David 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, David and Alister 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.