The World Rally Championship will trial a helmet camera at next week’s season finale in Sardinia.
The technology has been utilized by several drivers during pre-event tests, but never before in WRC competition.
Formula 1 regularly uses helmet cameras during grands prix and qualifying sessions, to show viewers a driver’s eye view of the action.
The WRC is set to follow suit, as WRC Promoter CEO Éric Boullier said the camera will be fitted to an M-Sport driver in Sardinia. DirtFish understands that the driver is Jon Armstrong.
“We’re going to reinforce the media department to make sure we have a new approach in terms of content,” Boullier said. “So as early as the next rally in Sardinia, we’re going to test this camera on the helmet.
“It’s the same technology they have in Formula 1. I made contact with them to make sure we can test it, so one of the M Sport cars will have it.”
Asked by DirtFish if that would be during the rally itself, Boullier confirmed: “Yeah, we want to make a live test.
“We’re going to test it first, obviously, on Thursday and Friday. And if it works, we may see it yes on the live TV.
“The technology has been homologated and approved by the FIA and tested obviously in Formula 1 which has successfully used it. So we want to do the same, to have more cameras possible,” Boullier added.
“We are working improving or upgrading the technology as well to allow us to have a bigger bandwidth from the car so we can get more data out of the car, more cameras, but also more data which we will be able to showcase to our fans in the future through the platforms.
“We want to show a bit more emotion, share a bit more the life of the WRC Arena, the ex-service park, but also push new personalities and new drivers to the platform as well. We want to share more content.”
Boullier has previously talked about the need to preserve the “DNA of rallying”, but he wants to modernize the sport’s media offering.
“I know it looks like details, but for me it’s more important to keep, as I said, the DNA of the rally first, but adjust a little bit the Sunday stage, to make sure we can broadcast easier, especially the powerstage,” he explained.
“It’s difficult to showcase all the weekend. We have many stages, as you know. Logistically, it’s nearly impossible. But I think the best thing is to make sure we can bring some content through the digital media, the social media, every day to the fans and on Sunday have a special focus on the last stage.”
