Motor Sport: Former world rally champion Colin McRae and two children — one his five-year-old son — died in the helicopter crash near his country home, Scottish police have confirmed.
Strathclyde Police said they now know the 39-year-old, his son Johnny, and two family friends died in the aircraft which burst into flames in Lanark, Scotland, yesterday afternoon.
The other victims were named as six-year-old Ben Porcelli, of Lanark, and Graeme Duncan, 37, who lived in France.
David Richards today hailed the "extraordinary, competitive spirit" of close friend McRae.
Richards heard the news upon arriving in Belgium last night ahead of today's grand prix after piloting his own helicopter to the Spa circuit.
McRae captured the public imagination when he won the World Rally Championship in 1995 in the famous Subaru Impreza 555.
The Scot also helped Subaru to win successive constructors' titles in 1995, 1996 and 1997 at a time when Richards was team principal.
Speaking in the paddock at Spa, Richards said: "Colin had a competitive spirit like I've never seen in any other individual in my life that could say 'I can do anything'.
"Anything like that Colin was up for it, and you could throw any car at him in any recognised motorsport and he would do well.
"I remember when I put him in a Formula One car at Silverstone and how great he was in that straightaway. It could have been a sports car, touring car, Paris-Dakar, you name it. It's unusual to call somebody a legend, but it's very appropriate for Colin."