Outgoing World Sportscar Champion Allan McNish hung his helmet up from racing almost 12 months ago but it has been another incredibly busy year for the Scotsman.
The triple Le Mans 24 Hour race winner, 2013 FIA World Endurance and three-time American Le Mans Series champion called time on a 32-year motor racing career that netted almost 80 wins last December but he remains an integral part of Audi Sport.
“My role for Audi Sport is continually evolving,” commented Dumfries-born McNish. “I’m an ambassador, so conduct various PR and marketing activities, but I’m also a consultant.
“That means working with our drivers and liaising closely with the various championship governing bodies around the world. At WEC races I am a link between the drivers and various team personnel.”
In addition to attending six of this year’s eight FIA WEC races that culminated in Brazil recently (30 Nov), McNish has been at 15 Formula One Grands Prix for the BBC.
Allan continued: “The BBC work is very interesting. Radio and television are very different for me and it is a new skill to learn. On radio you have to describe what you see as well as talk about the race whereas on TV the viewer sees it anyway so you talk about the race in a different way. Luckily they have some of the best people in the business working on it so I am going through an apprenticeship of sorts.”
McNish has spent a mere 134 days at home this year but despite his heavy workload, takes an avid interest in emerging Scottish motorsport talent.
Allan added: “The figure away from home compares with when I was racing and testing. In terms of actually flying time, I will have spent two weeks inside a plane when added up this year.
“With my role for the Scottish Motor Racing Club and Scottish Motor Sports, I keep an eye on Scotland’s motorsport drivers to ensure the next generation of drivers get their chance as Dario [Franchitti], David [Coulthard], Colin [McRae] and I did.
“We have some good guys coming through. Ross Martin is a star in the making in karting, Ciaran Haggerty is making big waves in Formula Ford, Ross Wylie won British GT4 Championship on his first attempt while multiple Scottish and British rally champion David Bogie continues to shine.”
McNish compared the FIA’s Prize Giving in Doha last week, attended the SMRC Annual Dinner and Awards Ceremony at the Sheraton Hotel, Edinburgh, last Saturday (6 Dec), then was at the Autosport Awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London the following day (7 Dec). Allan will be present at the Autosport International Racing Car Show at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham over 10-11 January.