Malcolm Wilson (rally)
Encyclopedia
Malcolm Irving Wilson, OBE
(born 17 February 1956) is a British
former rally driver. He is the father of current World Rally Championship
driver Matthew Wilson
.
After a successful driving career of his own, he went on to manage and run the BP Ford World Rally Team
with his M-Sport
operation, based at Dovenby Hall
near Cockermouth
in Cumbria
, England.
He has over 20 years experience of rallying at world championship level, much of it with Ford. He drove for three factory teams in the world championship, including MG, in whose Group B
Metro 6R4, he shared driving duties with fellow Briton, Tony Pond
. He spent several years as Ford's chief test driver, developing new rally cars, including the short lived RS1700T
and RS200
models.
As a driver, he won two British national titles in the late 1970s and achieved a long-held ambition by winning the British Rally Championship
in 1994, all at the wheel of Ford Escort
s.
Under his guidance, M-Sport (formerly Malcolm Wilson Motorsport) has become one of the world's leading private teams with a string of international titles and rally wins to its credit. The company now employs over 170 people. Their work culminated in 2006 when Wilson led Ford to the World Rally Championship Constructors' title for the first time in 25 years; the team repeated this achievement in 2007
.
In September 2008, Wilson took part in the Colin McRae
Forest Stages Rally, a round of the Scottish Rally Championship
centred in Perth
in Scotland. He entered the event in a VK Vodka Kick sponsored Ford Escort RS1800 with co-driver Peter Martin. He was one of a number of ex-world and British champions to take part in the event in memory of McRae, who died in 2007.
Wilson was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2009 Birthday Honours.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 17 February 1956) is a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
former rally driver. He is the father of current World Rally Championship
World Rally Championship
The World Rally Championship is a rallying series organised by the FIA, culminating with a champion driver and manufacturer. The driver's world championship and manufacturer's world championship are separate championships, but based on the same point system. The series currently consists of 13...
driver Matthew Wilson
Matthew Wilson
Matthew Wilson is an English rally driver from Cockermouth in Cumbria. He is the son of M-Sport boss and former WRC driver Malcolm Wilson. Wilson currently competes in the World Rally Championship for the Stobart M-Sport Ford team...
.
After a successful driving career of his own, he went on to manage and run the BP Ford World Rally Team
BP Ford World Rally Team
The Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team, also known as the Ford Motor Co. Team prior to 2005, is Ford Motor Company's full factory World Rally Championship team. In its current form, it has been a competitor since the 1997 season, when Ford Motor Company's motorsport arm selected the Malcolm Wilson...
with his M-Sport
M-Sport
M-Sport is a large and successful motorsport team based in Cockermouth, Cumbria in England. Formed in 1979 by former WRC driver Malcolm Wilson, and originally known as Malcolm Wilson Motorsport, the team has had varying success running cars in several rally championships...
operation, based at Dovenby Hall
Dovenby Hall
Dovenby Hall is a Grade II listed country house in Dovenby, about north-west of Cockermouth, Cumbria, England. The estate totals .- History :...
near Cockermouth
Cockermouth
-History:The Romans created a fort at Derventio, now the adjoining village of Papcastle, to protect the river crossing, which had become located on a major route for troops heading towards Hadrian's Wall....
in Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
, England.
He has over 20 years experience of rallying at world championship level, much of it with Ford. He drove for three factory teams in the world championship, including MG, in whose Group B
Group B
Group B was a set of regulations introduced in 1982 for competition vehicles in sportscar racing and rallying regulated by the FIA. The Group B regulations fostered some of the quickest, most powerful and sophisticated rally cars ever built. However, a series of major accidents, some fatal, were...
Metro 6R4, he shared driving duties with fellow Briton, Tony Pond
Tony Pond
Tony Pond was a well-known British rally driver.-Career:His first outings in a rally car were on the then regular Saturday night road rallies in the home counties around London, driving a Mini Cooper S...
. He spent several years as Ford's chief test driver, developing new rally cars, including the short lived RS1700T
Ford Escort RS 1700T
The Ford Escort RS 1700T was a prototype RWD car designed by Ford Motor Company in 1980 to compete in Group B rallying. Prototypes were based on the MKIII Escort and featured a Cosworth developed 1.8 litre turbocharged four cylinder engine that produced over maximum power.Persistent problems...
and RS200
Ford RS200
The Ford RS200 is a mid-engined, four-wheel drive sports car produced by Ford from 1984 to 1986. The road-going RS200 was based on Ford's Group B rally car and was designed to comply with FIA homologation regulations, which required 200 road legal versions be built...
models.
As a driver, he won two British national titles in the late 1970s and achieved a long-held ambition by winning the British Rally Championship
British Rally Championship
The Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship is a yearly rallying series based in the United Kingdom. It comprises seven events with eight scoring opportunities throughout the British Isles. The first championship was run in 1958 and it has been licensed by the MSA Motor Sports Association since...
in 1994, all at the wheel of Ford Escort
Ford Escort (European)
The Mark I Ford Escort was introduced in the United Kingdom at the end of 1967, making its show debut at Brussels Motor Show in January 1968. It replaced the successful long running Anglia. The car was presented in continental Europe as a product of Ford's European operation...
s.
Under his guidance, M-Sport (formerly Malcolm Wilson Motorsport) has become one of the world's leading private teams with a string of international titles and rally wins to its credit. The company now employs over 170 people. Their work culminated in 2006 when Wilson led Ford to the World Rally Championship Constructors' title for the first time in 25 years; the team repeated this achievement in 2007
2007 World Rally Championship season
The 2007 World Rally Championship season was the 35th season in the FIA World Rally Championship. The season began on January 19 with the 75ème Rallye Automobile de Monte-Carlo and ended on December 2 with the 63rd Wales Rally of Great Britain. Citroën's Sébastien Loeb won the drivers' world...
.
In September 2008, Wilson took part in the Colin McRae
Colin McRae
Colin Steele McRae, MBE was a Scottish rally driver born in Lanark.The son of five-time British Rally Champion Jimmy McRae and brother of rally driver Alister McRae, Colin McRae was the 1991 and 1992 British Rally Champion and, in 1995, became the first British person and the youngest to win the...
Forest Stages Rally, a round of the Scottish Rally Championship
Scottish Rally Championship
The Scottish Rally Championship is a rallying series run throughout Scotland over the course of a year, that comprises seven gravel rallies and one tarmac event . Points are awarded to the top placed drivers and the driver scoring the highest number of points over the season is declared Champion...
centred in Perth
Perth, Scotland
Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...
in Scotland. He entered the event in a VK Vodka Kick sponsored Ford Escort RS1800 with co-driver Peter Martin. He was one of a number of ex-world and British champions to take part in the event in memory of McRae, who died in 2007.
Wilson was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2009 Birthday Honours.