Former Toyota Formula One Driver and World Endurance Champion Allan McNish reckons that motorsport in Scotland is in a strong state at present, thanks to a hugely competitive club scene and the revival of the Ecurie Ecosse driver programme.
“Scottish motorsport, is it healthy? Club motorsport in Scotland, SMRC, Knockhill, yes it’s healthy,” the three-time Le Mans winner said exclusively to Read Motorsport at Autosport International.
“The grids are good. We had a little bit more challenge this year, partly because the economic factors of Aberdeen basically. Ultimately, it’s very good. The memberships were strong, entries were strong and the racing was good. Obviously, Knockhill still has the British Touring Car Championship and also British Superbikes as well. So that side of it is good.”
Scotland has a proud history in motor racing. The country produced two of the greatest Formula 1 drivers in history in Jim Clark and Sir Jackie Stewart, whilst the likes of McNish, Dario Franchitti and David Coulthard found success in either single-seaters or sportscars in the decades following.
McNish admits that opportunities are difficult for up-and-coming Scottish drivers due to the fact the country has but one circuit, Knockhill in Fife. However, the revival of Ecurie Ecosse by SMRC Chairman Hugh McCaig, which helped launch McNish and so many of his countrymen’s careers, has given him cause for excitement.
“We’re limited because of our one circuit, but (I’m) encouraged by Hugh McCaig, the effervescent Hugh McCaig who’s the chairman of the SMRC, who is reviving the Ecurie Ecosse driver initiative,” he said.
“That’s what gave me my start back in 1983, and he sponsored me when I won my first British championship. He helped Dario, he helped David, he helped so many drivers and currently Ciaran Haggerty in F4 and also in British GT.”
Commenting on the future of Scottish motorsport, McNish knows that breaking into single-seaters is a tough ask due to the high costs but is glad that a number of drivers are looking elsewhere to further their careers. Interestingly, he also thinks that Scotland’s next generation of drivers should be looking at capitalising on an area of motorsport that is only just beginning to blossom – E-racing.
“I think it’s very difficult right now for any driver to make a single seater career because of the pure costs involved. But it’s good to see that they are developing into other areas – sportscar racing is a big one. We’ve still got guys up there, but we need to encourage and make sure the next group are coming through.
“If I’m honest, Graham Carol maybe gave some opportunities because Graham Carol is a Formula Ford Festival winner, won the Walter Hayes. Unfortunately he didn’t have the finance to go forward. But he was in the Las Vegas E-race last weekend, normally he’d have finished third I think,” McNish added.
“But that just maybe opened the eyes of some of the drivers in Scotland that, if they can’t do what they ideally want to do, this could be the next part of their career and to look at an alternate career that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re sitting in the car but you could be sitting in the car in a simulator. I would encourage them to think a wee bit wider, because that is a developing part of the sport that hasn’t even started yet.”
