The second annual Jersey eRally event has been announced, which sees top British and Irish rally drivers take on leading Esports competitors in a virtual recreation of the real-life event, running over three days from 26-28th November 2021. The event will use Codemasters’ venerable rally title Dirt Rally 2.0, and will be available across PlayStation, Xbox and PC.
The 2020 edition was organised following the Covid-enforced cancellation of the Jersey Rally, and like many recent virtual recreations of famous motorsport events, it proved to be a hit with fans and competitors alike, with nearly 200 competitors in total.
Entry is free, but competitors and rally fans are encouraged to donate to the RNLI Jersey and Teenage Cancer Trust via a Just Giving page, with those donating over £5 being entered into a charity raffle for a chance to win signed motorsport items, passenger rides and other merchandise.
Virtual rally drivers who retire from Friday or Saturday’s stages still have a chance to win Sunday’s Trophy Rally competition and will be hoping to mix it with the likes of Dirt Rally 2.0 World Series competitor and 2020 Jersey eRally winner, Nicolo Ardizzone, as well as real-life rally drivers like British Rally Championship (BRC) front-runner James Williams and two-time BRC champion Matt Edwards.
Organisers hope to live-stream the action from the point of view of some high-profile guests, who’ll not only be targeting the overall win, but also The Handbrake Award – a title bestowed upon the most entertaining participant in the event. This should be made easier with the inclusion of the spectacular MkII Ford Escort as one of the car choices – the winning car in the real 2021 Jersey Rally in the hands of Ross Le Noa and Domonic Volante. Other car classes available include the Group N Mitsubishi Evo, classic Formula 2 Kit Cars, as well as R5 machinery used by BRC pilots today.
Ben Buesnel, Director of the Jersey eRally commented: “I was completely blown away by the response in 2020. We had drivers from all over the world take part from top Esports drivers, rally stars and first-time gamers, all in one event – all going toe-to-toe in the same cars in the same conditions.
“The buzz around the return has been great and this year along with a great organising team, we hope to kick things up a gear and get more people engaged with the event. We won’t be charging to enter the rally once again, however this year we would like to encourage the community to donate towards our two chosen charities – Teenage Cancer Trust and the RNLI. By doing so you will be entered into a Charity Raffle to be in with a chance of winning great prizes.
“I encourage everyone to enter. On what other occasion can you go up against British and World Championship drivers from your own home? If you can’t compete, we will also be hosting live streams through the event for people to watch some of the top drivers tackle the stages. It will be a great fun-fuelled weekend for everyone.”
Entries are open from now until 22nd November, and the full rally can be undertaken from 8am GMT on the 26th November, right up until 9pm GMT on 28th November.
For more information on how to get involved, visit the Jersey eRally Facebook group.
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