McRae may still secure WRC drive for 2004.

1995 World Rally champion Colin McRae could still secure a deal to take part in the 2004 FIA World Rally Championship, according to WRC boss, David Richards.

According to reports by British newspaper, The Guardian, McRae is not necessarily destined to sit out next year's championship, and Richards has 'insisted that he might yet clinch a drive'.

How that would come about is difficult to see, as all the manufacturer teams have confirmed their line-ups for next season, and while 'guest' drives might be a possibility, McRae is known to be uninterested in such prospects.

He told the broadsheet paper: "You've got to leave the options open as long as you can, but I've got to sort myself out.

"The real interest would be to do the whole championship, a nice, clean-cut deal, and if there isn't the deal, I'm going ahead with my other options. I've already turned things down for Subaru. If I'm not doing the whole championship, I'm not doing it."

Subaru meanwhile, who according to the Scot agreed a deal in principle, only to change their minds and opt for Mikko Hirvonen, have still to justify why they made the decision they did.

Furthermore, while they can argue it was 'driven by a commitment to long-term young driver development philosophy', there is no getting around the fact that financial considerations must have also played a part. Using Hirvonen, could save the team around ?1 million in 2004, a significant sum, especially as next year's WRC will feature an extra two rounds.

Subaru team boss, David Lapworth, half admitted such, when he commented: "Part of our job is to spend the money as wisely as we can. Normally we measure that in competitive terms, but sometimes you have to measure it in other ways as well. There are savings, but I don't think yet we can say that we have offset the cost of two extra rallies."

So where will McRae end up in 2004? The WRC seems unlikely, despite the comments of David Richards. McRae now needs nothing less than a miracle...