Tension mounts in title showdown

Burns: Taking the moral high ground

The Rally of Great Britain starts on 22 November, with live coverage on BBC1, BBC Radio Five Live and BBC Sport Online.

Richard Burns says the verbal attacks of title-rival Colin McRae's will only spur him to victory in next week's season-deciding Rally of Great Britain.

Burns claimed to be unruffled by McRae's recent jibes about his alleged arrogance and branded it 'playground banter' which would only spur him to championship victory.

"It's having a very good psychological effect," said the Subaru star, who trails McRae by one point, with Tommi Makinen a further point back.

Victory for any one of them in South Wales will result in the drivers' title.

You only try and put people down if you think they can beat you so in a way, Colin's behaviour is a compliment

Richard Burns

McRae fired the first shots in the war of words between the pair when he accused Burns of being "too big-headed to fit his head into a normal car".

But Burns shrugged it off.

"I think Colin has sort of created this thing about him being this great sports psychologist, about being able to outwit the opposition. It involves cartoons and calling me names.

"But I genuinely believe he'd be a lot better off concentrating on his job without worrying about me. I find it nice because I am providing more of a distraction for him than he is for me.

"He doesn't get to me, but it confuses me because he is not like a nasty guy.

"When Colin is winning he is very good at putting other people down. And Colin when he is losing doesn't do it very well.

"You only try and put people down if you think they can beat you so in a way it is a compliment."

McRae is the only Briton to have won the championship, although Burns claims he has been the better driver for the past three years.