Max McRae is confident a return to his native Scotland for this week’s Jim Clark Rally will bring a change of fortune after a tough start to his 2025 season.
The 20-year-old has shown plenty of pace in his rookie Rally2 year, but he’s Scottish Borders-bound in pursuit of British Rally Championship points aboard his Tagai Racing Technology-run Citroën C3 Rally2.
The Duns-based all-asphalt event will be the first rally Max has returned to in a Rally2 car. He’s looking forward to that familiarity.
He said: “As you can imagine, when you’re in a Rally2 car, the scenery is flying by a good bit quicker than when you’re in a Rally4 car. To be going back to an event in a Rally2 car is good for me, it immediately gives you an understanding of where the speed will be. I’m sure it’ll help me feel more comfortable and give me a bit more confidence.”
Making his frontline European Rally Championship at Rally Hungary earlier this month presented something of a microcosm of Max’s season to date: he delivered no shortage of speed, but his hopes of a top result were stymied by illness.
I’ve driven with head colds and things like that, but nothing as bad as this.Max McRae on solidering through Rally Hungary
“Hungary was hard work,” he said. “I felt terrible. Throughout the event I was with the medics getting whatever help I could, but basically when I was out of the car, I was either asleep or in the toilet.
“Without a doubt, that was the toughest rally from that perspective. I’ve driven with head colds and things like that, but nothing as bad as this. The adrenalin definitely kicks in, but at the same time – when we were coming onto some of the longer straights I thought I was going to be sick again. Not great.
“A few days on from that event and I’m feeling stronger – now I just want to get back out into the car at the Jim Clark and get on with it again.”
Damaging the suspension on his Citroën wasn’t part of the plan in Hungary, but Max bounced back to hit all his targets on his frontline ERC debut.
“Across the weekend, Cam [Fair, co-driver] and I were happy. Given how ill I was feeling, the times were where they needed to be. In fact, we were actually ahead of our expected time difference to the guys at the front. We were consistently setting times in the top 10.
Max kept his foot to the floor on Hungary despite illness
“We got through all but one of the stages, so we saw plenty of mileage and got really good seat time. That’s so valuable and it’s that time in the car that’s really fed the confidence looking forward to the Jim Clark. OK, it’s a different surface from the gravel we drove in Hungary, but it’s so good to be at the wheel.
“Looking towards this week, it’s always nice to be competing at home and this is a special rally in Scotland. I’d like to be targeting a podium in Duns – but just getting through a stage and not needing to go to sleep will be a big step forwards from the last rally.
“Like I said, Hungary was a tough one, but Cam and I got through it and, I’ve got to be honest, I’m pretty proud of how we did that. It was not easy. And I couldn’t have done it without the brilliant team at TRT and all the medics at ERC – I have to say a big thanks to all of them!”
The Jim Clark Rally starts on Friday (May 23) evening with six stages in the fading light before Saturday delivers a further eight high-speed, all-asphalt tests through the lanes in the Scottish Borders.
