Malcolm Wilson (rally driver) explained

Malcolm Wilson
Birth Date:1956 2, df=yes
Nationality: British
Years:1977–1995
Co-Driver: Ron Palmer
Terry Harryman
Mike Greasley
Phil Short
Nigel Harris
Mike Broad
Ian Grindrod
Nicky Grist
Bryan Thomas
Races:42
Championships:0
Wins:0
Podiums:2
Stagewins:29
Points:59
First Race:1977 RAC Rally
Last Race:1995 RAC Rally

Malcolm Irving Wilson, OBE (born 17 February 1956) is a British former rally driver and current owner of team and constructor M-Sport. He is the father of former World Rally Championship driver Matthew Wilson. He has been married to Elaine Wilson since 1982.[1] [2] [3]

Biography

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 Escorts.

He crashed during the 1980 Scottish Rally whilst chasing Hannu Mikkola and Ari Vatanen for the lead, breaking both his ankles and almost ending his career, but amazingly he recovered in time for the RAC Rally at the end of the year.

After his driving career, he went on to manage and run the Ford World Rally Team with his M-Sport operation, based at Dovenby Hall near Cockermouth in Cumbria, England.

Under his guidance, M-Sport (formerly Malcolm Wilson Motorsport) has become one of the world's leading rallying private teams, with a string of international titles and 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.[4] In 2018 he was awarded with the V Class Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana for his services to Estonian motorsport, with his role in the successes of Markko Märtin and Ott Tänak cited.[5]

Complete WRC results

YearEntrantCar1234567891011121314WDCPoints
1977Malcolm WilsonFord Escort RS 2000MONSWEPORKENNZLGREFINCANITAFRAGBR
12
0
1978Malcolm WilsonFord Escort RS 1800MONSWEKENPORGREFINCANITACIVFRAGBR
Ret
0
1979Total OilFord Escort RS 1800MONSWEPORKENGRENZLFINCANITAFRAGBR
15
CIV0
1980Total OilFord Escort RS 1800MONSWEPORKENGREARGFINNZLITAFRAGBR
Ret
CIV0
1981Rothmans Rally TeamFord Escort RS 1800MONSWEPOR
Ret
KENFRAGRE
Ret
ARGBRAFINITACIVGBR
Ret
0
1982Malcolm WilsonFord Escort RS 1800MONSWEPOR
Ret
KENFRAGRENZLBRAFINITACIV66th1
Audi Sport UKAudi QuattroGBR
10
1983British Junior Rally TeamFord Escort RS1600iMONSWEPORKENFRAGRENZLARGFINITACIVGBR
13
0
1984Top GearAudi Quattro A1MONSWEPORKENFRAGRENZLARGFINITACIVGBR
Ret
0
1985Malcolm WilsonAudi Quattro A1MONSWE
Ret
PORKENFRAGRENZLARGFINITACIV0
Austin RallyingMG Metro 6R4GBR
Ret
1986Austin Rover World Rally TeamMG Metro 6R4MON
Ret
SWE
Ret
POR
Ret
KENFRA
Ret
GRENZLARGFIN
10
CIVITAGBR
17
USA70th1
1987GM Dealer SportOpel Kadett GSIMONSWEPORKENFRAGREUSANZLARGFINCIVITAGBR
Ret
0
1988Malcolm WilsonOpel Kadett GSIMONSWE
8
PORKENFRA0
GM Euro SportVauxhall Astra GTEGRE
Ret
USANZLARGFINCIVITAGBR
Ret
1989Malcolm WilsonVauxhall Astra GTESWE
13
MONPORKENFRAGRE18th19
GM Euro SportNZL
3
ARGFINAUS
6
ITACIV
Vauxhall Dealer SportGBR
10
1990Q8 Team FordFord Sierra RS Cosworth 4x4MONPORKENFRAGRENZLARGFIN
Ret
AUSITA
Ret
CIVGBR
Ret
0
1991Q8 Team FordFord Sierra RS Cosworth 4x4MON
7
SWEPOR
Ret
KENFRA
5
GRE
Ret
NZLARGFINAUSITA
10
CIVESPGBR
Ret
18th13
1992Ford Motor Co LtdFord Sierra RS Cosworth 4x4MONSWEPORKENFRAGRENZLARGFINAUSITACIVESPGBR
9
58th2
1993Ford Motor Co LtdFord Escort RS CosworthMONSWE
Ret
PORKENFRAGREARGNZL19th12
Malcolm WilsonFIN
Ret
AUSITAESP
Michelin Pilot Team FordGBR
3
1994Ford Motor Co LtdFord Escort RS CosworthMONPORKENFRAGRE
6
ARGNZLFINGBR
Ret
23rd8
Jolly ClubITA
9
1995R.A.S. FordFord Escort RS CosworthMONSWEPORFRANZLAUSESPGBR
Ret
0

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Lunch with Malcolm Wilson. Motorsport Magazine. Motorsport Magazine. 27 September 2020.
  2. Web site: - YouTube. YouTube.
  3. Web site: The 1982 Scottish Rally. YouTube.
  4. News: David . Evans . Malcolm Wilson awarded OBE . 13 June 2009 . 15 June 2009 . Autosport.
  5. News: Madis . Kalvet . President Kersti Kaljulaid andis Malcolm Wilsonile üle teenetemärgi . 27 March 2018 . 2 January 2023 . Delfi.