Ali was born in Duns, in the heart of the Scottish Borders where he still resides to this day. 

He left school and began work within the family structural steelwork & engineering business: John Thorburn & Sons (JTS) serving his apprenticeship and eventually working his way up to Director, alongside his two brothers and Father.

Ali's love of rallying started in the Scottish borders, which is home to many famous rally drivers including Jim Clark, Andrew Cowan, Louise Aitken-Walker and Dom Buckley to name just a few. Watching these local drivers succeed, inspired Ali to take up this exciting sport and follow in their tyre tracks!

At the age of 39, Ali decided to buy a car to fulfil his ambition to compete within a few events. Buying a Group N Subaru Impreza & borrowing an experienced navigator, he entered the VK challenge rally at Knockhill Racing Circuit. They finished 10th overall. After this experience he was completely hooked. Ali started rallying as a complete novice so he decided at the beginning of 2006 that it would help his progression if he could persuade an experienced navigator to join him. "I contacted Paul to see if he would be brave enough... he said he would try one event to see if I was any good. I can’t have been too bad as he’s still here". 

Ali’s saddest moment in rallying to date would be the unfortunate death of Graham Lewis, Co-driver on Granite City Rally 2006. Graham was a great guy, and Ali enjoyed having had the pleasure of his co-driving talent on the rally prior to his untimely death.