25.03.2004 COLIN MCRAE TEST A PRODRIVE FERRARI 550 MARANELLO AT SNETTERTON AHEAD OF THE LE MANS 24 HOURS

One of motorsport’s most exciting stars, Colin McRae, this week joined forces with Ferrari endurance specialists Care Racing with a view to racing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June.

Former World Rally Champion McRae, 35, the most successful competitor in WRC history, this year announced his intention to branch out into different areas of motorsport.

In January he competed, very successfully, in the Dakar Rally and has long been interested in competing with a well-known marque in the world’s most prestigious endurance sportscar race, the 24 Hours of Le Mans.  Through Care Racing’s founder, Frederic Dor, a sporting friend and colleague in the rallying world, contact was made.

At a blustery and wet Snetterton, Norfolk, circuit on Monday, the Scot completed his first laps behind the wheel of a 6 litre, V12 engined, Prodrive prepared Ferrari 550 Maranello GTS. He was joined at the circuit by Swedish sportscar and touring car ace Rickard Rydell, who shook down the car and passed on his previous experiences of the Ferrari to McRae. It was too wet to record any competitive times for either driver.

The Scot was very upbeat about the prospect of an endurance race: “Le Mans is one of the great races of the world and would be a big motorsport challenge for me. I wanted to do a few of these different things this year and this would be an ideal opportunity for me to experience Le Mans. It’s one race every driver would love to have a go at.

“To be able to do Le Mans with a Ferrari is just that bit extra, it being probably the most famous name in racing.  It would be very special.  I’ve known Frederic a long time through rallying and, when I found out what he had done with the 550s, we just moved it on from there.”

No race contract has been confirmed but discussions are ongoing.