Rally basics: how a regularity rally works

A rally consists of several special stages – SS for short. A special stage is a defined section of route in which your precision is measured. Secret controls or passage controls record how accurately you met the target time.

Any deviation from the target time – whether too early or too late – results in penalty points. In the end the crew with the fewest penalty points wins. We explain exactly how penalties are calculated in the scoring guide.

Organisers either set a target time for a section or an average speed to maintain – for example 50 km/h over a given distance. Your task is to match this value as exactly as possible.

This is where the interplay of driver and navigator comes in: the navigator continually calculates whether you are on schedule and gives instructions to adjust the pace.

The roadbook is your only route description. It contains no conventional map, just a sequence of schematic symbols that guide you junction by junction. Reading these symbols takes practice – in our guide to roadbook symbols we explain the tulip, hourglass and the rest in detail.

Not every regularity rally is the same. There are single-day events for a quick start, multi-day tours with overnight stays and star rallies, in which all participants drive from different directions to a common destination. Some rallies focus on scenically attractive routes, others on sporting ambition with tricky special stages. This variety makes it easy to find an event that suits your preferences.

At some rallies a navigation task is added to the regularity element. Here the roadbook is deliberately trickier, and crews must deduce the right way from clues. Such navigation rallies reward attentive navigators and provide a special thrill. For beginners it is advisable to start with classic regularity rallies before tackling demanding navigation formats.