SPIN, The Rally Pod

Memories of McRae's title-winning RAC drive

DirtFish's voice of rally Colin Clark, Senior Staff Writer David Evans and former Toyota team manager George Donaldson share personal, and professional, insight on what made the 1995 RAC Rally so specialSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Turkey, safety and stage-end conviviality

SPIN's trio of Colin Clark, David Evans and George Donaldson pick apart Rally Turkey, while the Voice of Rally questions whether stage-end interviews aren't what they used to be. This episode was recorded before the cancellation of Ypres Rally, so the trio also ponder how the highly-regarded Belgian rally was gearing up for its WRC debut.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Toyota's WRC future without Tommi Mäkinen

This week's big news is the impending departure of Tommi Mäkinen from the Toyota WRC team he helped build since 2015, after the parent brand bought its WRC operations from Mäkinen's TMR preparation firm. What does that mean for Toyota and for Mäkinen? DirtFish's voice of rally Colin Clark and Senior Staff Writer David Evans discuss the ramifications.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The inside line on Toyota - from the boat home

Top Toyota personnel give Colin Clark their in-depth take on the WRC's first rally back and what comes nextSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The inside line on Britain's rallying future

BRC manager Iain Campbell talks to Colin Clark about M-Sport's Return to Rally Stages, Rally GB's future and how to bring rally action back across the UK.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Lochs, Lancias, and a legend

In the latest edition of SPIN, The Rally Pod, our panel of DirtFish Senior Staff Writer David Evans, our voice of rally Colin Clark and George Donaldson turn back the clock to discuss their favorite Lancia liveries, the genius (and flaws) of the great Walter Röhrl and look ahead to the long-awaited Rally Estonia.Can rallying return safely amid fresh coronavirus cases in Europe? The team chat through the calendar permutations as the WRC gears up for its return. And all the while, George has been outsmarting midges next to a Scottish loch...See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What we learned from rallying's international return

DirtFish's Colin Clark and David Evans spent a week in Italy for the biggest step towards the full resumption of international rallying so far, as the 2020 European Rally Championship began and Hyundai entered both Rally di Roma and subsequent Italian event Rally di Alba in force.As their trip came to an end, they reflected on the experience of being back in the service parks, how the ERC is shaping up, performances on those rallies, the coronavirus situation and much more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Modifications for Monte and M-Sport

The Monte Carlo Rally itinerary has been modified for 2021, while M-Sport is giving DirtFish exclusive access to its updated headquarters and new test track. Plus Colin Clark, George Donaldson and David Evans preview Rally di Roma, the first major international rally since the COVID-19 outbreak began.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's Safari week!

In the week the World Rally Championship should've been back in Kenya, the DirtFish team celebrates everything that made the Safari great - and will do againSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Calendar clarity at last for the WRC

Finally, the World Rally Championship's C-word no longer needs to be used in hushed tones, following the reveal of a provisional calendar for the remainder of the 2020 season. Unsurprisingly, the new schedule is at the top of the agenda discussed by Colin Clark, George Donaldson and David Evans this weekSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The WRC's prospects for 2020, 2021 and 2022 too

With teams back in testing action and a calendar coming together, WRC 2020 feels within reach again - but what does the longer-term future now hold?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Behind the scenes as WRC returned to action

Why did the Finns stop flying?

Finnish drivers used to dominate the WRC, but none has won a title since Marcus Gronholm in 2002. Though Kalle Rovanpera might rectify that anomaly soon, why has the drought gone on so long? That's what Colin Clark, George Donaldson and David Evans are debating this week.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Burns, calving and a shrinking calendar

There have been big setbacks for the WRC in the past week, with Finland, New Zealand and GB all off for 2020. Recorded just before news of GB being canned was confirmed, this episode of Spin, the Rally Pod explains why the events in question had little choiceSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The big WRC questions right now

Rallying's return is getting closer, so enough lockdown talk - time to focus on the competition. From Ogier's future to Hyundai's latest driver shuffles and the new Toyota, the DirtFish gang hits the big talking pointsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The untold tales of Toyota's 1998 heartbreak

Toyota and Carlos Sainz were on the brink of the 1998 World Rally Championship title when it fell apart in agonizing fashion with the finish in sight. DirtFish podcast regular George Donaldson was a key part of the Toyota team back then, and reveals how it felt to be part of that incredible rollercoaster - plus some theories never before airedSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Let's get radical

Moves towards resuming real-world rallying are starting to accelerate, but there are still a lot of unknowns and concerns. Colin Clark, David Evans and George Donaldson have a typically passionate debate about the options and the latest developments - and also celebrate all that's great about Rally Portugal.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

McMastering WRC photography

When it comes to rallying photography, Colin McMaster is one of the best in the business. In this edition of Spin, the Rally Pod, our voice of rally Colin Clark meets with McMaster (while observing social distancing measures) to lift the lid on McMaster's career behind the lens - from convincing teachers in South Africa to allow him to study photography rather than taking Afrikaans lessons, to his first big break shooting for Subaru, and how he met his hero-turned-business partner, Reinhard Klein. There's also a look back at McMaster's memories of a sodden edition of Rally Portugal in 2001, as part of DirtFish's Rally Portugal week.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What can be done with the 2020 WRC season?

With the Safari Rally Kenya definitely off the list for 2020, but COVID-19 restrictions beginning to be lifted in some parts of the world, the DirtFish team looks at the state of play for the paused World Rally Championship season. Can enough of the calendar be salvaged to crown a worthy champion?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Behind the scenes of the toughest Safari Rally era

Our chats with Derek Dauncey about Mitsubishi's Safari Rally heroics in recent weeks have given an incredible insight into just how tough the legendary Kenyan event was in the 1990s.Now SPIN's own George Donaldson lifts the lid on an even more demanding era. Starting in the 1980s, his stint in a lead role at Toyota came when the manufacturer took the Safari incredibly seriously - with weeks-long recces, specialized development programs and team personnel including George spending as much as six months of the year in Kenya.Settle in for a fascinating reminisce about those extraordinary days.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Now that’s what Derek calls the 90s Part 3

Remember the story of Rally of Great Britain 1998? Of course you do. It’s a story all about Tommi Mäkinen, Carlos Sainz and Bodmin builder Nigel Barnett. It’s a story all about their Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IV, Toyota Corolla WRC and Hillman Imp.Ringing a few bells now? Thought so. Derek Dauncey was Mitsubishi Ralliart’s man in the middle of the Millbrook crisis when Mäkinen removed the right rear wheel against a concrete block - thanks to oil from that Imp. For the next three days, the Finn and his team thought that was the end of his world championship.It wasn’t, it was just the beginning of an unforgettable rollercoaster ride for Andrew Cowan’s team – ending on the highest possible high.This one is, however, the first half of a fascinating story. Next week, Colin Clark talks to then Toyota team manager George Donaldson about the disappointment that led Carlos Sainz’s co-driver Luis Moya to find a new way of putting his crash helmet back in the car…See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Now that’s what Derek calls the 90s Part 2

Mitsubishi scored a second Safari Rally win in three years on the 1998 event. This one was particularly special for British fans with Richard Burns taking his maiden WRC win and backing up Colin McRae’s Kenyan victory of 12 months earlier.Typically for the Safari, it was anything but straightforward, as Mitsubishi Ralliart’s Derek Dauncey tells David Evans in the second of his interviews looking into life among the Lancers in the Nineties. This time, for the first time, Andrew Cowan’s Rugby-based team was running a brace of cars, something that brought plenty of challenges as well as doubling the potential for success.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The world champion from home. And the heart

If today’s World Rally Champion could offer Ott Tänak some career advice 10 years ago, what would it be? And what did he really think of his move from Toyota to Hyundai?Talking about Hyundai, what’s Andrea Adamo really like and does he say yes more than he says no.All of these questions and more – including his first thoughts on Sébastien Ogier joining him and Elfyn Evans at M-Sport – are answered in an insightful DirtFish SPIN, The Rally Pod interview with our defending world champ. He also has a word or two for those who think he’s a bit too brief in his interviews... See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today. Toivonen.

Thirty-four years ago the world of rallying was robbed of a driver destined for global glory and years at the very top of our sport. May 2, 1986 was the day Henri Toivonen and co-driver Sergio Cresto lost their lives in a Tour de Corse crash which changed the face of rallying.Lisa O’Sullivan leads an intriguing and emotive history lesson into one of the life and times of the mercurial Finn. David Evans, George Donaldson and Colin Clark analyse Toivonen’s impact on the sport, the man himself, where he came from and where he was heading. There’s also a look into the ramifications of the accident which spelled the end of Group B, world rallying’s most controversial four-year formula.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Cancellations, postponements and rallying’s immediate future

In a particularly shouty and argumentative Spin, David Evans and George Donaldson wind poor Colin Clark up terribly. The cause of the debate? Is Ypres one of the best rallies in the world? Or is it all straight, nineties, chips and mayonnaise?If you’ve never heard the Voice of Rally on the rev limiter, tune in…Fascinating debate, with thought-provoking insight from DG and Lisa O’Sullivan on the impact of the current global pandemic on our sport and the wider world.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.