Video: Carlos Sainz vs Colin McRae head-to-head battle

03rd October 2024

Ben Miles

Head-to-head super special stages used to be all-the-rage in the World Rally Championship. They were, and remain when still used, the only time that you get to see active rally legends in current rally machines do their thing, actually side-by-side. It also sometimes brings up battles of all-time greats. Like this time that Carlos Sainz and Colin McRae went at it.

We’re a long way back in history for this, with McRae and Sainz team-mates at Subaru in 1994, a season before their legendary title fight – the outcome of which we all know. So tight would that fight become that in places the rivalry became quite bitter, with even those at the top of the team stepping in to try and influence outcomes.

But before that, they were team-mates in an up-and-coming Subaru team, which was just getting to grips with the Impreza. The second round of the season, in Portugal, offered a chance for its two drivers to go head-to-head.

At the time Sainz was already a two-time WRC champion, and McRae was a 26-year-old upstart with just a handful of WRC rounds (and one win) under his belt.

Side-by-side they lined up on Portugal’s mixed surface special stage – mostly gravel, but with a couple of tarmac sections to traverse. If you think they aren’t both desperate to take top spot, then the ludicrous angle that McRae pitches his Impreza into just 12 seconds into this video will settle your doubts.

After four laps of furious competition, the pair are separated by barely a few yards. You’ll have to watch the clip to see who wins, but if anyone at this point was in any doubt about whether McRae had the talent to challenge his more experienced team-mate, this must have set those thoughts aside.

Welcome to Goodwood Elevenses, a helping of motoring-related amusement to help break up your day. Watch the last video: Sauber-Mercedes C11 suffers terrifying tyre blowout at Le Mans