McShea wins Production Car WRC title.

Niall McShea joined the World Rally Championship's elite today [Sunday] when he was crowned World Champion after winning the FIA Production Car World Rally Championship with a victorious performance on Telstra Rally Australia.

The Lloyd Helicopters-backed driver, from Enniskillen in Northern Ireland scooped the honour of becoming the fifth British World Champion in rallying after an impressive run to second position on the Perth-based event. The only Britons to previously earn a coveted world crown are Louise Aitken-Walker, Alister's brother, Colin McRae, Richard Burns and Martin Rowe.

McShea, who was co-driven to the title by Michael Orr and Gordon Noble this year, triumphed in the six-round championship after competing in diverse events in Mexico, New Zealand, Argentina, Germany, Corsica and Australia. He took his Syms-tuned Subaru Impreza onto the podium in four of the six events.

"This is a dream come true," said McShea, whose Subaru Impreza is prepared by Syms. "Just raising the funds to compete this year has been an absolutely massive struggle, so to repay everyone who has put so much faith in me with the world title is the best way to say thank you. This is a massive achievement not just for me, but everyone who has played a part in taking my career from Ireland onto the world stage."

In Australia, McShea moved into the lead of the Production category when title rival and fellow Briton Alister McRae retired on stage 22. With the pressure off, and needing only to finish in the top six to ensure he was crowned champion, McShea eased back to let the hard-charging Toshi Arai of Japan, a fellow Syms Subaru driver, take the win.

"Once Alister was out there was no point in pushing to take the event victory - winning the world title was far more important," said McShea. "Toshi had been pushing hard throughout the rally, and I would really have had to have lay everything on the line to try and keep pace with him. It was a very nervous few stages, knowing how much was at stake, but Toshi can have the win - I'll savour the world title!"