The 2001 rally season began inauspiciously for Burns - neither of the season curtain raisers, the Monte Carlo Rally or the Swedish Rally, yielded points scores, placing in peril before it had began, the Englishman's title bid. A sturdy fourth place in a rain-drenched Portugal kicked his campaign into action prior to second place finishes on the arresting gravel of Argentina and Cyprus, on both occasions to Ford Motor Company's Colin McRae. Nonetheless, both the Scotsman and Monte Carlo victor Tommi Makinen were later to hit upon snags of their own - and, one victory over McRae later, this time in New Zealand, on Sunday November 25, 2001, Burns became the first Englishman to win the World Rally Championship. Richard drove his Subaru Impreza to third place in the Rally Of Great Britain. When Richard passed the finishing line at the final stage of the final rally in 2001 the famous words popped out of Richard's mouth paying tribute to his codriver Robert Reid: "You're the best in the world".