Nicky Grist

The Welshman Nicky Grist is one of the most experienced rally co-drivers in the World Rally Championship, recording 131 WRC starts with nine different drivers between 1985 and 2006, scoring 21 victories. He was co-driver to 1993 world champion Juha Kankkunen.

Grist spent the most time with Colin McRae, from 1997 to 2006, winning 17 WRC events in that period. The other world known drivers he was serving with are Malcolm Wilson, Mikael Ericsson and Armin Schwarz.

Nicky Grist

A professional golfer became a rally navigator

Born in November 1961 in Ebbw Vale, Nicky Grist was a professional golfer in the early 1980s. He then started to work in the local car sales centre and showed an interest in rallying. His first co-driving duty was with Bryn Wiltshire in a Ford Escort.

In 1982, he started to work with Steve Davies and stayed with him until 1986. They won Welsh Road  Rally Championship in 1983 in a Ford Escort RS 2000. In the same period, Grist served as a navigator to many other drivers in different cars.

Five starts at RAC Rally between 1985 and 1989

Nicky Grist made a World Rally Championship debut at 1985 RAC Rally, as a co-driver to Stuart Nicholls in a Vauxhall Astra GTE. They were 23rd overall and fourth in Class A7. A year later, Grist came to RAC Rally as a co-driver to Simon Davison in a Volkswagen Golf GTI, finishing 19th overall and fourth in Class A7.

In 1987, Grist's main job was to navigate Graham Middleton in the British Rally Championship in a Toyota Corolla GT. At 1987 RAC Rally, he served as a co-driver to Harry Hockly in a Vauxhall Nova, finishing third in Class A5. The same pair came to the 1988 RAC Rally in the same car, finishing second in Class A5.

Grist recorded his fifth WRC start at 1989 RAC Rally with David Metcalfe in a Vauxhall Nova GTE, not finishing the rally.

Grist became full-time professional co-driver in 1990

In 1990, Nicky Grist was hired by Ford Motor Company to become the full-time professional co-driver both in national and international events. He joined Malcolm Wilson in a Ford Sierra Sapphire Cosworth in British events and recorded three WRC starts in a Ford Sierra RS Cosworth 4x4. They recorded DNFs in all three events (1000 Lakes Rally, Rallye Sanremo and RAC Rally).

In 1991, Grist spent one more season with Team Ford, recording six WRC starts in a car with Malcolm Wilson. Their best result was the fifth place at Tour de Corse.

In 1992, Grist worked with Toyota through the season but participated in just one WRC event, finishing fourth at Safari Rally as a navigator to Mikael Ericsson in a Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD.

Juha Kankkunen and Nicky Grist

Helping Juha Kankkunen to win 1993 WRC title

In 1993, Grist started a season with Mitsubishi Ralliart, navigating Armin Schwarz in three events. Then, at Rally Argentina, he joined Juha Kankkunen in a Toyota and clinched his maiden WRC victory. Two more wins followed later in the season, at Rally Australia and RAC Rally, and both Juha Kankkunen and Toyota became the world champions.

Having a contract with Toyota factory team, Grist served as a co-driver to Juha Kankkunen in 1994 and 1995. Their only win was at Rally Portugal in 1994. When the Toyota factory team was excluded from WRC due to illegal turbo restrictors in 1995, Grist and Kankkunen competed with private Toyota teams in 1996.

Nicky Grist and Colin McRe at 1998 Tour de Corse

Five WRC wins in the first season with Colin McRae

In 1997, Grist joined the 555 Subaru World Rally Team and one of the most legendary partnership was born, the one with Colin McRae. They won five WRC events in their first season together but six retirements cost them a loss and they lost a title by just one point. However, Subaru took the manufacturer's title.

In 1998, they won three times and McRae finished third in the drivers' championship, giving Subaru the third consecutive manufacturer's title.

Nicky Grist and Colin McRae at 1999 Rallye Sanremo

Four seasons with M-Sport Ford

In 1999, Grist and McRae moved to the M-Sport Ford team, led by Grist's former partner Malcolm Wilson. They scored two consecutive wins at Safari Rally and Rally Portugal but it was all because the rest of the season was disastrous, with ten DNFs and one exclusion. They finished sixth in the points.

The season 2000 was slightly better. McRae/Grist won two events (Catalunya, Acropolis) to finish fourth in the points in a Ford Focus RS WRC. In 2001, they added three wins to their accounts, finishing second in the championship behind Richard Burns/Robert Reid.

The season 2002 was the last with Ford but also the last full season in Grist's career. He and McRae celebrated two wins. They split after New Zealand's round and Derek Ringer replaced Grist for the last two rounds.

One of the greatest rally partnerships started in 1997 and ended in 2006

Three more WRC starts with McRae in 2005 and 2006

Nicky Grist rejoined Colin McRae three years later, in two WRC events with Škoda Motorsport's Fabia WRC. They finished seventh at Wales Rally and retired at Rally Australia. In 2006, Grist recorded his last WRC start with Colin McRae at Rally Turkey, in Kronos Racing's Citroen Xsara WRC. They didn't finish the rally.

Besides one-off WRC attempt in 2006, Grist raced with McRae at X Games in a Subaru Impreza but also at Shell Donegal International Rally in an MG Metro 6R4.

Businessman and occasional rally navigator

From 2007 onwards, Nicky Grist competed occasionally in a different championship or historic rally events but his focus is on managing his company Nicky Grist Motorsport which is the UK's distributor of Stilo helmets and other motorsport equipment. He's a regular visitor to WRC events and unofficial FIA consultant for safety.

Nicky Grist is selling Stilo helmets and other racing equipment

Photos: Petr Fitz/ewrc-results.com, foto-sport.info,