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Page 2 David bought Richard a Peugeot 205 and entered him into the national 205GTI challenge, a proving ground for young talent. It was an opportunity he was not about to spurn and with regular wins and the kind of consistency that is still his trademark, Richard won the series. With the realisation of Richard?s promise, David asked Richard to deputise for him in a well financed Group N Subaru Legacy in which David planned to use himself, in the Mintex National series. When Richard came second in the event (the winner was not entered into the series championship), David made the chivalrous decision to run the car for Richard for the remainder of the series. His faith in Richard was duly rewarded as he went on to win the Championship. The rest is history. Richard joined the crack Prodrive Subaru squad alongside Alistair McRae becoming the youngest winner of the British Championship in 1993. Two learning years which included entry to the occasional full World Championship netted Richard second in the Asia Pacific Championship. This performance plus Richard's uncertainty about his future with Prodrive culminated in Mitsubishi Ralliart signing the young Englishman for an initial rookie year in selected world events. It was in this year that Richard finished second in the Safari Rally. 1998 heralded Richard's big break - on the grandest stage of them all - a full WRC assault partnering World Champion Tommi Makinen in the Mitsubishi Charisma GT (Evolution V). Richard enjoyed a successful 1999 in his first full season with the Subaru team driving the WRC Impreza. The strength of this new combination of driver and manufacturer resulted in Richard challenging for the Championship, eventually coming second overall in the World Rally Championship Driver standings with victories in Greece, Australia and Britain. 2000 brought further success for Richard as he once again mounted a serious attack on the Championship. His early season form meant he made history once again, becoming the first Englishman to ever lead the WRC and wins in Portugal, Kenya and Argentina marked him out as favourite for the title. Disappointingly, Burns was narrowly beaten to overall glory by Finland's Marcus Gronholm driving for Peugeot; the outcome of the Championship taken to the final round - the Rally of Great Britain. Despite Richard winning the event for the third successive time it was not enough to beat Gronholm. The start of Richard's 2001 campaign was in complete contrast to how the season was to end - a mere three points from the first four rounds. Second place behind rival Colin McRae in Argentina was the result Richard needed to move his challenge up a gear. The same podium placing beckoned in the next round in Cyprus and Richard was beginning to pick up valuable points. Second again in Finland followed by victory in New Zealand elevated Richard into the title fight whilst other contenders wasted valuable opportunities. Second place in the penultimate round in Australia guaranteed Richard a shot at the title on home soil in the Network Q Rally of Great Britain. The resulting retirements by Colin McRae and Tommi Makinen ensured that Richard merely had to finish in the points, but he persisted to ensure a podium place, third, and the 2001 World Rally Championship crown. Richard Burns was now the first Englishman ever, to have won the title.
2002 saw Richard driving for his new team, Peugeot in the Peugeot Sport 206. Aiming to retain his World
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