March 07, 2004
The World Rally Championship
My interest in the World Rally Championship has been piqued of late by a couple of XBox games, Rallysport Challenge and Colin McRae Rally 3. Rally racing is a bonafide success in Europe and watched by millions on TV. Cars are modified from a street version (which can take weeks of dedicated work) and re-engineered to compete across a variety of road surfaces (from gravel to mud, snow, ice, and tarmac). From the WRC site:
Each rally must allow three days for the reconnaissance (or recce), one day for technical checks (or scrutineering) and three days for competition. The rally is divided into three legs, and typically has between 15 and 25 Special Stages.
Every year events take place all over the world (it seems seldom in North America). This year events are held in places such as: Mexico, Argentina, Sweden, Monte Carlo, Sardinia, France and Australia. About one a month. I imagine this gives teams the time to travel and rebuild/refit their cars.
For the rest of the world, the race-inspired design and engineering of cars like the Mitsubishi Evolution and Subaru WRX help sales and marketing. Here in the 'States, where we grow our cars big this is much less the case.
My only wish is that I had the proper controller for these driving games. I've also been playing Project Gotham Racing (I'm going through a driving game kick) and the XBox controller is a little twitchy for this sort of thing. Of the XBox games I've tried Colin McRae Rally 3 is definitely more "realistic" but the Rally Championship game is more fun (a little easier). I'm really looking forward to Rally Championship 2 (out soon).
It almost makes me wonder what it would be like to drive one of these little monsters (especially the Evolution). I've got to think that 271 hp in such a little package would be a kick!
I have found the Speed Channel has some coverage. Meagre though it may be it is better than no coverage at all.
Posted by artandscience at March 7, 2004 09:09 AM