Richard Burns R.I.P.

[Big Gordy]

Richard Burns, World Rally Champion 2001, passed away on Friday from the after effects of the brain tumour he had removed in April :cry:
Its been a pretty crappy year for rallying with the Welsh co-driver killed in the rally GB now Burnsy passing away. Colin and Richard had some great battles during the 2001 campain. He will be sadly missed....

[big si]

a very sad day for motorsport
and a sad week for sport in general with the loss of besty this week too

[Alan L]

Exactly - he will be sorely missed by those who enjoy motorsport. World Champion and he will get minimal coverage in the press, yet a footballer who stopped playing football in the seventies and drank himself to death gets all the press. Apologies to all you football fans out there - but comparisons - World Champion against a good/great footballer.

[Big Bruce]

I have to agree with Alan with this one, unfortunately we knew both were coming, and both have been treated differently in the press.

The 2001 Championship brought rallying right to the front of the back pages :wink: in the UK, 2 brilliant Brits fighting it out. It was great watching it live on the TV! The sport has lost one of its best British drivers.

RIP

[Leon_Ritchie]

George Best was one of the greatest footballers ever to walk the earth, football being the most watched sport i think he deserves the press. What he did later in life has nothing to do with it. Being an alcholic is not always by choice it can affect people like an illness.
Of course that dosent take anything away from Richard.

[Maxxed_Ross]

I wasn't able to post this all week due to an error, but I saw this on the Sat morning news, all of 30 seconds of it. I've not seen it mentioned again since but that tw*t (read that as twit if you want :lol: ) is all over everything and he killed himself and a good liver in the process. What a waste :roll:

Burns was a true master at the peak of his sport and will be missed :(

[ford_fanatic]

I never knew the guy was even ill! Heck!

I never really watched Rally's, but I did know who Richard Burns was. He was in one of the videos Jeremy Clarkson made a few years back, and also appeared on the first series of Top Gear I'm sure as well as a guest appearance.

:(

[Big Bruce]

[quote="ford_fanatic"]I never knew the guy was even ill! Heck!
[quote]

Yeh, he 'quit' rallying at the end of the 2001 or 2002 season after he was diagnosed, and i read in Autosport at the start of the year that he unfortunately didnt have a chance of recovery. :cry:

On George Best, sure he made a mess of his personal life, and i do have a issue with him wasting a liver that somebody else could have put to 'good' use...but we must remember him as one of the greats of football, looking at some of his goals, puts the top strikers of today to shame!

[Grant Barclay]

It was mid-ish 2003 accoring to the bbc wesite, after falling unconscious at the wheel of his own car on the way to the Welsh rally, so he stopped racing.

Sad to see another great spotsman pass, R.I.P.

[Leon_Ritchie]

Yep, he was driving to the rally GB, when he collapsed at the wheel. Markko Martin was in the car with him he had to reach over and drive the car till it came to a halt (obviously he couldnt reach the brake). Guess its not been a great year for Markko either.

[Maxxed_Ross]

Just found this:

A great trubute video :(

http://www.cosworth.soldigit.net/filmes/Richard_Burns_Tribute_PT.wmv

[MarcRitchie]

I dont see why arguments have started over news time in here to be honest.

Those who appreciate Richard and everything he did will know about it, but its not a sympathy contest, he will be fittingly remembered.

Richard Burns= World Champion

George Best= Arguably greatest ever footballer.

Symapthy to the families and hope the both rest in peace.

[Leon_Ritchie]

Thats exactly what i was trying to say.

[Big Gordy]

Each to there own guys :wink: I'm a motor sport fan and can't be bothered with all the hype that goes with football.....they all get paid FAR to much money for what they do IMHO. But the sad fact is that most of the general public will remember Besty for what he did after he finished playing football :cry: He did manage one record no one else has achieved and that's bedding at least 3 Miss Worlds :shock: :roll: Now I wouldn't mind being remembered for that..... 8)

[Big Gordy]

Markko Martin was in the car with him he had to reach over and drive the car till it came to a halt
Don't think it was Markko Martin seeing as he was the works Ford driver at the time and I don't think he's ever been a co-driver.....but as always I could be wrong :roll: 8)

[Big Gordy]

Found it 8) Robert Reid was his co-driver when he passed out between one of the stages at the 2003 Rally of GB.....see I wasn't wrong after all :lol: