Next season, the top category in the WRC will undergo numerous changes, with the most significant updates being the removal of hybrid units and a points system overhaul. Alongside technical regulations, other updates are also on the way.
The WRC Promoter has been working to enhance the series’ appeal, and one key initiative is the project known as the “Command Center.”
The Command Center’s goal is to collect data from the cars and use it to bring fresh storytelling opportunities to rally fans. The Command Center will be a structure where a representative from each team can monitor their cars’ status in real-time on both special stages and road sections.
This also means that teams would gain access to competitors’ data, previously kept secret
A physical, small-scale trial of the Command Center was planned for the Central European Rally but was ultimately not implemented. However, WRC Event Director Simon Larkin told RallyJournal.com that testing has continued as planned, and the Command Center is set to be used for the first time at next year’s Rally Monte-Carlo.
Currently, the data displayed in WRC’s live broadcasts represents only a fraction of the information collected by the cars’ more than one hundred sensors.
In the future, with the new system, it will be possible to monitor, for example, tire wear, driver tire strategies, and differences in driving styles. If a car breaks down on a special stage, the audience could be informed immediately of the issue.
The aim is also to incorporate team radio communications into live broadcasts, offering viewers insight into how teams handle problem situations or how engineers instruct drivers to make repairs. This would reveal stories often left untold.
The intention is to provide more transparency to the public about what happens behind the scenes in the WRC. This will also require collaboration from the teams, as sharing secrets with competitors may not seem ideal.
An incentive for the teams is the live data provided by the promoter, as until now, teams have only received data from the car when the vehicles arrive at service
