Macneall: Absence makes the heart grow fonder

Australian co-driver Glenn Macneall was last seen on an FIA World Rally Championship event outside the Antipodes on Rally GB in 2009, when he navigated former Production Car world champion Toshi Arai.

More recently, he has navigated his partner (in life, not just in work) Emma Gilmour.

And the last time that he partnered Chris Atkinson was in Portugal in 2007: an outing that ended abruptly when their Subaru Impreza went flying through a field in sixth gear before coming back down to earth like a meteorite.

That experience was enough to convince him that a quieter life - running a car dealership in his adopted New Zealand - was a better idea, and he hasn’t sat in a World Rally Car since.

Until the offer arose of a seat alongside Atkinson in WRC Team MINI Portugal’s lead John Cooper Works WRC in France and Spain, in the absence of regular incumbent Stephane Prevot, who has a prior commitment to another driver. Thankfully, the ride has been serene so far, with the freshly reformed duo holding 11th place starting day two of Rallye de France Alsace.

“It’s definitely been a lot of fun so far: although these cars are mightily quick I don’t seem to have forgotten too much,” said Macneall. “So I’m loving every minute of it, and it’s been great to catch up with Chris again. The cars are just as exciting as they always were: who wouldn’t enjoy it?”

He may be having the time of his life, but Macneall is unlikely to be tempted into a full-time WRC comeback: he’s earned enough air miles already to last him a lifetime and he’s busy competing in the Asia-Pacific championship with Indian driver Gaurav Gill.