Nicky Grist is a former co-driver from the World Rally Championship. Having competed in the world’s best teams, and cars and sat alongside some of the world’s best drivers. Beginning his journey in grassroots club motorsport, he swiftly ascended to the ranks of a full-time professional within a mere four years. His partnership with Malcolm Wilson (the now M-Sport boss) at Ford Motorsport Team in 1990 marked the onset of a series of pivotal partnerships. Transitioning to Toyota Team Europe in 1992 and later joining forces with Armin Schwarz at Mitsubishi Ralliart Team in 1993 car care.
However, it was a pivotal moment in 1993 when Grist received a life changing call to join three-time world champion Juha Kankkunen at Toyota Team Europe, a move that would catalyse Kankkunen’s fourth world championship victory. Grist’s expertise not only guided the pair to Grist’s first WRC event triumph in Argentina, but also secured a monumental victory in Rally GB, his home round, amidst treacherous conditions.
In 1997, Grist was head hunted once again and joined Colin McRae, forming a formidable duo at Subaru, before moving onto to the M-Sport team in 1999 with McRae. Throughout his journey alongside McRae, Grist celebrated 17 WRC rally wins. However, the journey was not without its challenges, as the pair navigated through a fair share of accidents along the way.
In 2007, after retiring from competition, Nicky established Nicky Grist Motorsports to stay involved in the sport he loved. Initially, he focused on distributing Stilo helmets and intercoms, rapidly expanding their market share in the UK. Renowned for crafting some of the world’s lightest and strongest helmets, Stilo’s range now extends beyond rallying to include offshore powerboats, karting, and even helmets utilised in prestigious events like Le Mans and Formula 1 races.
Nicky’s dedication to driver safety equipment is evident, with a particular emphasis on offerings such as HANS neck supports and fireproof racewear sourced from the esteemed Italian brand, P1. While their portfolio has since diversified with a myriad of other products, too numerous to list here, you can explore the full range on the website.
