The release of a new rally computer game is always a cause for celebration among motorsport gamers but the latest offering, EA Sports WRC, could actually help tackle a hot topic currently in the World Rally Championship.
Barring the age-defying talent that is Kalle Rovanpera, who appears set to become a two-time world champion at the age of 23, the Finn is the only driver under the age of 25 regularly competing in rallying’s top tier. Granted, with only eight full-time seats spread across Toyota, Hyundai and M-Sport-Ford, it is already difficult for young drivers to break through to the premier class.
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The introduction of the sophisticated Rally1 hybrid monsters in 2022 has witnessed the gap between the junior and top-level classes increase, such is the challenge of driving a Rally1 with its unique hybrid deployment system - that can produce an eye-watering 500 horsepower in short bursts. When the Rally1 cars first broke cover even experienced WRC rally-winning drivers had to alter their driving styles to adjust to the new technology and the injection of speed. This is perhaps best illustrated by factory Hyundai driver Teemu Suninen who has driven top-level WRC cars from the previous generation of regulations [2017-2021]. The experienced Finn was left visibly shaking by the speed on offer when he made his competitive Rally1 debut at Rally Estonia.
This expansion of the gap between Rally2 and Rally1 in addition to restrictions on testing at the highest level in the WRC, set by the FIA, fewer seats and the almost million euro price tag of the cars, have contributed to a limited the number of junior drivers breaking through. If a driver is lucky enough to score a Rally1 drive, then significant time behind the wheel is often required to adjust to such a significant change in machinery.
This is perhaps where EA Sports WRC, could actually help in offering a virtual testing tool to help develop young drivers for the real world of Rally1. Such is the game’s level of realism and accurate representation of car handling and stages, it is a view shared by EA Sports WRC game designer Jon Armstrong. This is not just a throwaway line from a game maker either, as Armstrong also just happens to be a professional rally driver who competed in the Junior WRC last year and won this year’s European Rally Championship ERC3 title.
“For WRC drivers I think they could be turning to it [this game] to practice the same stages before they go and do them in real life,” Armstrong tells Autosport.
“For muscle memory and things like that it is really practical to see this a training tool. The amount of testing available in real life [is limited], whether this is applied by the FIA or budget reasons, so any extra practice you can get is really good. It is something I do, so I hope other drivers will do this too.”
Source: Autosport