28 Facts About Allan McNish

Allan McNish was born on 29 December 1969 and is a British former racing driver, commentator, and journalist from Scotland.

Allan McNish is a three-time winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, most recently in 2013, as well as a three-time winner of the American Le Mans Series, which he last won in 2007.

Allan McNish won the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2013.

Allan McNish has been a co-commentator and pundit for BBC Formula One coverage on TV, radio and online and was team principal of the Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler Formula E team.

Allan McNish was a fan of Nottingham Forest and supported his local club Queen of the South.

Allan McNish began his career in karting like fellow Dumfries and Galloway driver David Coulthard.

Allan McNish credited the start given to both of them and Dario Franchitti as being largely down to David Leslie senior and junior.

Whilst racing his first season in F3000, Allan McNish suffered a crash at a race in Donington Park where a bystander was fatally injured.

Allan McNish went on to finish fourth overall in the championship that season.

Allan McNish's career appeared to stall in early 1996 after a deal to race in Formula Nippon fell through and Mark Blundell was preferred for a drive with the PacWest CART team.

Allan McNish subsequently appeared for Toyota and Audi in the race, and after losing a likely victory in the dying stages of the 2007 event, scored a second triumph in 2008 with Tom Kristensen and Rinaldo Capello driving an Audi R10.

Allan McNish has raced with great success for Audi in the American Le Mans Series, winning the title with Dindo Capello in 2006 and 2007, and taking four overall victories at the 12 Hours of Sebring.

At the 2011 Le Mans Allan McNish destroyed the car in a spectacular crash early in the race and ended the race for Audi No 3.

Allan McNish finally found an opening into Formula One in 2001, when the newly formed Toyota F1 team required a development driver.

Allan McNish did not score any points during the season's 17 races, and he and teammate Mika Salo were replaced with a new line-up of Olivier Panis and Cristiano da Matta for 2003.

Salo had scored points for the team on their debut in Melbourne and Allan McNish had very nearly done the same in the Malaysian Grand Prix, only for a pit lane mistake by the team to cost him the result.

Allan McNish had a dramatic accident at the 130R corner while practising for Toyota's home race the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, but escaped serious injury.

Allan McNish won sportscar driver of the year awards from Autosport and Le Mans magazines and the Stewart Medal Award for services to Scottish motor sport.

Allan McNish was made the president of the Scottish Motor Racing Club at their annual prize giving and dinner in 2007, succeeding Stewart.

In 2008, Allan McNish won the 24 Hours of Le Mans for Audi alongside Tom Kristensen and Rinaldo Capello.

Allan McNish won the 2013 24 Hours of Le Mans as well with Tom Kristensen and Loic Duval.

In 2011 Allan McNish suffered a catastrophic crash at the Le Mans race, one which left his car virtually disintegrated.

However Allan McNish walked away from the vehicle unharmed thanks largely due to the safety improvements that had been made in recent years.

In 2013, Allan McNish became a world champion as he won the 2013 FIA World Endurance Championship alongside Kristensen and Duval.

Since Formula One has introduced the drivers' representative on the stewards panel at all Grands Prix, Allan McNish has featured as the drivers' representative twice in the 2011 season, in Monaco and most recently in Hungary and on both occasions he has penalised the McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton for various transgressions.

On 17 December 2013, Allan McNish announced his retirement from Audi Sport and from racing full-time.

Allan McNish has not ruled out racing individual events in the future.

Allan McNish is two-time winner of the Segrave Trophy, was awarded the BRDC Gold Star in 2014, and won the BARC Gold Medal in 2015.