THERE WAS a sombre atmosphere at Knockhill yesterday following confirmation that Colin McRae had died in a helicopter crash just a fortnight after he last visited the circuit.

McRae had arrived at the Fife racetrack in the same helicopter in which he died at the weekend, in the crash near his Strathclyde home.

He would often visit Knockhill with friends to race cars or motorbikes and was also often a guest at other races.

McRae also appeared as a celebrity guest driver in the Porsche Carrera Cup at Knockhill last year.

Knockhill press relations manager Ray Smith said that every driver at the racetrack yesterday had been affected by Saturday’s tragedy.

“It is very sombre in the paddock,” he said.

“Colin was here two weeks ago as a guest at the British Touring Car Championships.

“He was entertaining our guests with tales of his exploits and he flew in on the same chopper,” Mr Smith said.

“We’re all finding it hard to take.”

He added that Colin’s five-year-old son Johnny, who also died in the crash, had also visited Knockhill and was known to staff there.

Mr Smith said, “We have a final car race meeting on October 21 and will definitely be having a silence tribute for Colin then.”