Drivers rehearse before they race

Virtual track prepares drivers for real thing

Drivers in the British Touring Car Championship are getting to know circuits by competing on computers before they take to the tarmac and race for real.

The virtual racing system is being installed at four UK race tracks that will host heats of the BTCC.

The game being used to help the drivers rehearse tactics and routes through the courses is the PlayStation 2 version of the TOCA Race Driver game.

Both professional and amateur drivers will be able to hone their knowledge of tracks before they get in their cars.

Virtual version

The British Touring Car Championship pits drivers against each other over 20 rounds and demands that each car use a standard production body shell, a two litre engine and many standard components.

Like the more familiar Formula 1, drivers are signed up to particular teams, many of which involve the makers of the standard parts.

The virtual racing system has been set up by Octagon Motorsports which looks after four of the circuits that the BTCC takes place on.

The deal with Codemasters, creator of the TOCA Race Driver game, will see training pods installed at the three racing schools owned and operated by Octagon.

The game features all the tracks used in the BTCC and drivers will be able to practice on them in specially created pods at the racing schools.

Driver James Thompson was crowned as winner of the 2002 British Touring Car Champion in late September following the final race of the season at Donington Park in the Midlands.

The 2003 tour starts in April next year with the opening race at Mondello Park in County Kildare, Ireland.