McRae eyes Dakar return

The Nissan driver was leading the event when he was launched into a roll after hitting a bump over a sand dune at around 100mph. The crash left McRae suffering from blurred vision and co-driver Tina Thorner with a sore back, but both were fortunate to escape with such minor injuries.

And despite seeing his dreams of victory fall apart so quickly after a mammoth build-up to the event, McRae has said he has not lost heart in the challenge of the Dakar.

"I definitely want to come back," he told Autosport. "Maybe this was a bit of inexperience on my part, but this is a good event. There's still some unfinished business between myself and the desert."

Nissan's team manager Gilles Martineau has also indicated that the team is interested in keeping McRae on board for another assault on the Dakar - and has put his accident down to inexperience in the desert.

"Colin is a fantastic driver, so talented and professional in the way he acts," he said. "He's tremendously boosted the team, helping us tune the car. We definitely want him back.

"What happened to Colin was unfortunate. He didn't feel the bump was any larger than others he had been over, but unfortunately it was. It is all about experience and we shouldn't forget that this is only Colin's second year here."

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McRae eyes Dakar return

Colin McRae has insisted that he has still got unfinished business in the Dakar Rally and has vowed to make a return to the event in 2006, despite being lucky to escape serious injury in a major crash that ended his dreams of victory this year.