WRC star Richard Burns has been diagnosed with a brain tumour it was annouced today. The former World Champion will undergo treatment for the tumour and doctors expect him to make a full recovery however he is out of the 2004 WRC season.
Burns passed out at the wheel of his Porsche road-car on the way to the Rally GB. Tests revealed that the star was suffering from a brain tumour. Now the Englishman will be unable to race for Subaru, who he had signed to drive for in 2004.
Burns' illness leaves a vacant slot at the Subaru team alongside new World Champion Petter Solberg and it is likely that Colin McRae will be signed to fill that vacancy. The Scot, who annouced only weeks ago an enforced sabatical from the WRC was in the frame for the Subaru seat before the team signed Burns. Now the Scot has been given another shot at WRC glory.
The speed of developments however may still scupper McRae's chances. The Scot signed with Nissan only days ago to contest the Paris-Dakar Rally in January. The Classic rally event finishes only days before the start of the Monte Carlo Rally recce and the event may also limit McRae's seat time in the Subaru Impreza. McRae's father and business manager Jimmy McRae is confident however that negotiations will open straight away with a view to the 1995 World Champion signining with Subaru.
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