McRae rubbishes rumours of Ford split

McRae's Catalunya Rally ended with fuel pump failure before the completion of the first leg, and the Scot is still to score a single point in 2001. But despite press stories that McRae had had enough of Ford, the 32-year-old confirmed he had no intention of quitting the Blue Oval.

"There have been stories in the press that I'm thinking of leaving Ford," he said. "Obviously, things aren't going well, but I'm not thinking about leaving."

McRae admitted, however, that his 2001 title chances are as good as over with almost a third of the season completed.

"I'm beginning to think I'll give up on this year," he said. "We are just having a really bad run at the moment and things seem to be going against us."

Ford rally team boss Malcolm Wilson has pledged to stop at nothing to end McRae's run of bad luck, saying: "Everybody here is totally committed to getting Colin back on the winner's rostrum. We've traced the [Catalunya Rally] problem, but it was just unfortunate that his car wouldn't go any further."

All three Ford Focus World Rally Cars suffered fuel pressure relief valve problems in Catalunya, but McRae's was the only one not to make it back to service.

McRae's team mate, double world title-winner Carlos Sainz, says the WRC is more competitive than it's ever been before. Speaking before the Catalunya Rally, the Spaniard said: "I don't remember ever seeing so many good drivers in so many good cars. This is certainly one of the toughest championships I have ever seen, maybe the toughest."