▁ ▁As ▁the ▁only ▁other ▁potential ▁alternative ▁suit ors , ▁Sub aru ▁instead ▁eventually ▁chose ▁Mik ko ▁Hir v onen ▁to ▁partner ▁Pet ter ▁Sol berg , ▁Mc R ae ▁found ▁himself ▁without ▁a ▁drive ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁season . ▁He ▁instead ▁purs ued ▁other ▁interests , ▁including ▁compet ing ▁in ▁the ▁Dak ar ▁R ally ▁and ▁the ▁ 2 4 ▁H ours ▁of ▁Le ▁Mans ▁( see ▁below ). ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁Mc R ae ▁represented ▁Great ▁Britain ▁in ▁the ▁Race ▁of ▁Champions ▁alongside ▁Formula ▁One ▁driver ▁and ▁fellow ▁Scot , ▁David ▁C oul th ard . ▁For ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁event ▁England ▁and ▁Scotland ▁entered ▁separate ▁teams ▁with ▁Mc R ae ▁and ▁C oul th ard ▁re - unit ing ▁to ▁represent ▁Scotland . ▁ ▁Mc R ae ▁then ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁series ▁for ▁one ▁off ▁drives ▁for ▁Sk oda ▁on ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁R ally ▁GB ▁and ▁R ally ▁Australia , ▁respectively ▁finishing ▁sevent h ▁and ▁ret iring ▁due ▁to ▁a ▁cl utch ▁problem ▁on ▁the ▁final ▁leg ▁of ▁the ▁r ally , ▁the ▁latter ▁dash ing ▁hopes ▁for ▁what ▁may ▁otherwise ▁have ▁been ▁only ▁the ▁team ' s ▁second ▁ever ▁pod ium ▁place ▁after ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁Safari ▁R ally . ▁ ▁On ▁ 5 ▁August ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁Mc R ae ▁competed ▁for ▁Sub aru ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁live ▁tele vised ▁American