The WRC legend joins the Stage Mode podcast for its second-ever episode
Photography by Girardo & Co. Archive
Opinions are always subjective, but for many the golden era of the World Rally Championship was the late 1990s and early 2000s where the manufacturer boom was in full swing.
So what would a central figure from this time think of the WRC today, and what it should perhaps consider to improve its health?
Legendary co-driver Nicky Grist joins Stage Mode for stage two, where he openly talks about the WRC in his era compared to today – explaining why he feels an added element of endurance would be a good future direction.
In an insightful conversation, Grist also compares the amount of preparation required in his day vs now, shares some classic Colin McRae stories, explains his newfound passion for driving his own Toyota Celica ST185, and tries to beat Oliver Solberg’s score in the ‘higher or lower’ leaderboard challenge.
Plus, he picks his WRC dream team, discusses his time working in TV and even turns the questioning around on host Luke Barry!
Subscribe to Stage Mode today to receive every episode first when it arrives each Wednesday, and if you want to contribute to the podcast, join Club DirtFish at Gold level and we’ll ask our guest your burning question.
Tags: Nicky Grist, Stage Mode, WRC
Publish Date August 6, 2025 DirtFish
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