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David Leslie (UK, age 32): A Scottish touring car legend, Leslie was a key Écurie Ecosse driver, joining in 1984. His Le Mans debut was 1984 (C284, DNF). In 1986, he matched Wilds’ pace, moving the No. 79 up to 38th by hour two, and contributed to the team’s C2 title.
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Ray Mallock (UK, age 35): The C286’s designer and RML Group founder, Mallock was a skilled driver with Le Mans experience (e.g., Nimrod NRA/C2, 1982–1984). He drove the C286 to C2 wins in 1986 and was instrumental in its development. His meticulous preparation was noted, though he prioritized engineering over driving.
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Mike Wilds (UK, age 40): A veteran with Le Mans experience since 1978, Wilds was a reliable C2 driver, setting fast times (e.g., 3:54.500, 207.67 km/h). He praised the C286’s stability at high speeds (~350 km/h in testing), allowing relaxed driving on Hunaudières. His 1984 C284 run included a door flying off due to pressure buildup, resolved by drilling window holes.
Écurie Ecosse
Écurie Ecosse, revived in the 1980s by Hugh McCaig, was a Scottish privateer team famous for Jaguar’s 1956–1957 Le Mans wins. Under Ray Mallock’s RML Group, it entered Group C2 with Austin Rover backing. In 1986, they fielded two cars:
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No. 78 (C285, Cosworth DFL, Delano/Hotchkis/Petery): Finished 15th overall, 4th in C2.
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No. 79 (C286, Rover V6, Leslie/Mallock/Wilds): Disqualified after leading C2.
The team aimed for C2 class victory and fuel efficiency, leveraging the Rover V6’s reliability to compete against Spice, Alba, and Gebhardt. Their 1986 season culminated in the C2 World Championship title, with four class wins (Brands Hatch, Nürburgring, Spa, Fuji).
