Why Craig Breen will be remembered for his “heart on sleeve” approach

“The giggling pin fell out of the laughing shaft but I managed to get it back in, so we are okay.”

Yes, you have read that correctly. This was a line from one of Craig Breen’s legendary World Rally Championship stage end interviews, broadcast live on television during a run to second in Sardinia last year. You never knew what would come out of his mouth, but it was always guaranteed to stir an emotion and more often than not it was unforgettable.

This was Breen in a nutshell. He was a raw character in an age where PR-trained drivers have become somewhat wooden. It is one of the myriad reasons why Breen will be sorely missed following his untimely death following a Rally Croatia testing crash, aged 33.

I can’t proclaim that I properly knew Breen or was one of his inner circle, but having worked in a number of racing disciplines over the last 16 years, I can say hand on heart that Breen was different. He was a pleasure to interview because you knew there would always be something that would raise a smile. Whether it was his sheer passion and excitement for rallying, some quick-witted one-liner about his love of a simple cup of tea, or even if a hungry rally marshal had butter in the sandwich they were eating ahead of a lunchtime stage.

That became part of his persona. In an alternative universe, he could quite easily have been a stand-up comedian. Ultimately, he was a down-to-earth rally fan turned into a superstar rally driver, who on his day was capable of fighting with the best the WRC could muster.

Tragically Breen’s career has sadly been cut short before it reached its prime and we will never know if he would finally score that elusive WRC win his efforts and toil deserved. While his skill behind the wheel was evident from the very beginning of his career and has been widely praised, it is another side to Breen that I think will be missed more than his wheeling a rally car on the limit through some of the world’s toughest stages.

Few drivers have worn their hearts on their sleeves to the extent that Breen did. It was a trait that endeared him to rally fans, offering a window into his mindset that few are brave enough to showcase. He broke down in tears of joy when he secured podiums and was equally brought to tears when things went wrong.

These were moments that the rally world will miss. It was pure emotion…