A convoy of Subarus left McRae's home town of Lanark to travel to the base of the Subaru World Rally Team in Banbury, Oxfordshire.

McRae, 39, died along with his five-year-old son Johnny when the helicopter he was flying crashed last September. Family friend Ben Porcelli, six, and Graeme Duncan, 37, were also killed in the crash near McRae's home.

The convoy travelled south, stretching for more than 10 miles and involving 700 cars.

Last night, organiser Ben Sayer said the day had been emotional and flag-waving well-wishers had been standing on bridges along the entire route.

"Every bridge all the way from Scotland had people on, waving Scottish flags and cheering. It got a much bigger response than anyone was expecting," he said.

He went on: "It was quite an emotional event for people involved. Colin was the kind of character people admired. He was a very personable and down-to-earth and was taken away before his time."

Today, 1,300 cars are expected to gather at the Subaru World Rally Team's base before setting off north again in a 20-mile long convoy.

They will drive to the Prodrive test track in Warwickshire, where they aim to break two official Guinness World Records.

The cars will write out "Colin McRae" in a sign nearly half a mile long that will be visible to passengers landing at Birmingham airport. They will then form a parade of 1,300 Subarus.

Organisers said that the McRae Gathering has already raised more than £25,000 for the McRae family's officially nominated charities and is hoping to raise more along the route.

Father-of-two McRae was regarded as a local hero in his hometown of Lanark after winning the World Rally Championship in 1995.

He achieved 25 WRC wins in his lengthy racing career and gave his name to a hit computer game.