Motorsport: McRae swaps one Perth for another in Scots rally bid

The Scot, who is now based in Perth, Western Australia, returns determined to go one step further than the second-place he achieved last year in his Proton Satria S2000.

"Last year was a fantastic result considering how little time we'd had in the car prior to the rally starting," said McRae, who has been contesting the Asia Pacific Rally Championship

"That, allied to the atrocious conditions, made it a real war of attrition. The forecast, certainly for Friday and Saturday, is dry, so I think we're going to be in for a very, very fast rally; and that will suit the Proton."

McRae is one of three Brits - alongside Darlington's Guy Wilks and Irishman Kris Meeke - battling to deny IRC champion-in-waiting, Juho Hanninen, the victory he's targeting to cap his title celebrations.

Wilks, promoted to victory 12 months ago after Meeke's Peugeot was thrown out for a minor technical infringement days after he'd celebrated his 'win' at Stirling Castle, heads into the three-day event eyeing back-to-back wins.

"Winning last year was fantastic," the Skoda driver said, "and I'd love to do it again. The competition's going to be exceedingly tough this year with my team-mate Juho also being here, but I'd love to deny him the win."

Meeke meanwhile, who has struggled for any consistency this year after dominating the championship in 2009, is equally determined to win his last event for Peugeot before he switches to the World Rally Championship with Mini for 2011.

"I'm fired up for this event," said the 31-year-old driver from Dungannon.

RallyScotland gets underway with two runs through the grounds of Scone Palace this evening before the 47 crews tackle six Perthshire forest stages tomorrow. Sunday sees the drivers complete two runs through two of Scotland's most famous stages — Clashmore and Loch Ard — in the Trossachs before returning to Stirling Castle for the victory celebrations.