They’ve always been the biggest shoes a young World Rally Championship pretender could look to fill. And for 27 years, they’d remained unfilled.
Until Auckland, Sunday October 2, 2022. That was the day Kalle Rovanperä took over the mantle of the youngest ever world champion. The 22-year-old Finn filled the shoes left by Colin McRae.
He beat the Scotsman’s record by five years and 88 days.
And the boots Rovanperä had to fill? He has those as well.
In the San Marino sunshine on Friday afternoon, Hollie McRae handed over a pair of her father’s driving boots from the 1995 season.
It was a classy gesture from one rallying family to another.
Rovanperä himself admitted he was blown away by the gift.
“I was not seeing this happening,” said the new world number one, who is driving Jari-Matti Latvala’s Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD at RallyLegend this weekend.
“To get the racing shoes Colin was wearing in his championship season in 1995… they wanted to give me the gift of the shoes. I never thought I would get a gift like this. It’s really amazing. I have to say a big thanks to the McRae family.”
Looking back at the plaque with the shoes and pictures of both title winners, Rovanperä shook his head, and smiled another wide smile.
“Truly amazing.”
