I saw that this morning and really wasn't a good start to my first day back at work. So sad for his family, I only watched them on YT building the Audi Quattro for his daughter Lia a few weeks ago.
Absolutely gutted to see this today; a proper petrolhead, skilled helmsmith, and by all accounts a thoroughly lovely bloke. RIP.
Such a shame for his family, and fans. His stuff wasn't for me, but he was very good at it, and the car journos I follow all have the same sorts of things to say about him being a decent sort.
I liked him a lot. Because he was a pretty quiet guy who let his driving do the talking. Unlike the helmets out there that let their talking do the driving.
I've been told a couple of times by people prior to this that "he isn't good enough to do it on merit so he just bought his way in", but I love him all the more for it. Goes college to learn architecture, finds it not quite what he thought it'd be, sacks it off and muddles around in his early 20's like all good dreamers do. Turns his love of design and extreme sports to the apparel market, eventually lands on DC shoes and hits the jackpot, cashes in and makes a **** ton of money relatively early in life and rather than just hoard it or try and/or multiply it like a bellend *cough bezos cough* he says to himself "well I've made enough money for my family to be secure for a few generations, I always dreamt of being a rally driver sooooo, warptss-chewchewchewchew". He might have ended up turning his hobby into something marketable, but fair play, why the hell not. ****ing rip it up with Colin now mate, you absolute legend
Completely agree. The other thing that the haters seem to forget - yes he wasn't a great WRC driver, but to get to that level requires absolutely immense talent. To be even vaguely competitive needs serious skills, and the final few % of speed is incredibly rare.
He still won plenty of rally's in lower - but no less impressive - tiers. Rally also has way tighter restrictions and regulations to make it as even a playing field as possible, so that's pretty much all him.
