Skoda Confirm McRae for Rally GB

McRae will be reunited with former co-driver Nicky Grist for the event. With 143 WRC starts, McRae will be the most experienced driver in the field at next month's event and will be teammate to the team's regular runner Armin Schwarz.

Skoda Motorsport World Rally Team manager Joan Sureda successfully concluded the deal for McRae to join the team during last weekend's Rally Finland. McRae will carry out a programme of intensive gravel testing before his first WRC appearance since the same event two years ago.

McRae has tested for the team before, driving the 2004 Skoda Fabia WRC last October, ahead of the Catalunya Rally.

The 37 year-old has vowed to be up to speed by the time he returns to competition. He said: "Although I have not competed in a World Rally Car since Rally GB 2003, the team have put together an extensive testing programme which will give me the opportunity to evaluate the Fabia and have it set up to my liking. It will also allow myself and Nicky to get ourselves up to speed before the event itself."

"Rally GB is obviously very special to me. So I am very much looking forward to competing on my home event and giving the fans something to cheer. This is an opportunity for me to utilise my experience to help the Skoda Motorsport World Rally Team develop the Fabia WRC 05 in a positive way for the future.

Joan Sureda, Skoda Motorsport Team Manager says the move will benefit the Fabia's competitiveness. Sureda said: "I'm very happy that we have the chance to bring Colin back to the WRC on this event because we know that he was keen to return to the Championship. He has a lot of experience on this rally, which we will find very useful for our future development. I'm sure that the fans will be as excited about Colin's appearance as we are."