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McRae to Max it with ERC1 step
Max McRae will step up to the FIA European Rally Championship’s top tier in 2025 following two seasons of learning and progression in Junior ERC.
A two-time winner in the Hankook-equipped category, McRae remains with Hungary-based TRT Rally Team, but swaps Peugeot 208 Rally4 for Citroën C3 Rally2 power as he climbs the international rallying ladder.
The 20-year-old, son of Alister McRae, grandson of Jimmy McRae and nephew of the late Colin McRae, will begin his ERC1 campaign on May’s VI Rally Hungary, which he will embark on in tandem with his Probite British Rally Championship bid.
MRF Tyres will equip McRae's Citroën.jpg
© Probite British Rally Championship
“It’s exciting to be looking forward to such a busy year,” said the Scottish driver, who will use MRF Tyres. “Stepping up from Juniors to the [overall] ERC is something I really feel ready for. Last season was great, but we were switching a fair bit from the Rally2 car in the BRC to the Rally4 category for Junior ERC. Now we’re in the Rally2 for everything – the opportunity to be consistently in the same car is going to help drive the experience and pay forwards.
Stepping up from Juniors to the [overall] ERC is something I really feel ready for
“On top of that, we’re staying with TRT as well. Those guys are awesome, they work so hard on the car, on everything and knowing we have the same engineers and mechanics around us as last year, some really familiar faces, is great news and, again, good for the consistency.”
McRae took Junior ERC gold in Hungary last season.jpg
© ERC
Ahead of VI Rally Hungary, McRae and co-driver Cameron Fair will contest the British championship-counting Kielder Carlisle Stages (12 April).
Back on track following tough break
Max McRae will be back to full fitness for his upcoming British championship outing following a hand injury sustained on the East Riding Stages Rally in northern England last month, which he was running in the top six.
“I caught a bale which whipped the wheel out of my hand,” McRae explained. “As the wheel spun, one of the spokes hit my hand. I thought it was broken. Fortunately, it wasn’t, there was some ligament damage and bruising to the bones. I’ve been working with the doctors and the hand’s going to be fine for Kielder Carlisle Stages.
The McRae/Fair partnership continues in 2025.jpg
© Probite British Rally Championship
“Naturally, the injury wasn’t a great start to the year, but the pace we showed on that first event in the Citroën was really strong. Even with a spin, we were fourth fastest in SS1, we could have gone fastest in our first stage in a C3 Rally2.”
He continued: “Getting some gravel miles down at Kielder Carlisle Stages will give us a good opportunity to understand the car and the MRF Tyres in this set-up before Hungary.
“Hungary is one of the events I’m looking forward to, we won Juniors there last year and we can take some good experience, confidence and knowledge of what’s needed to go well there.”
