Over 100 virtual rally stars put pedal to the metal at the first OSRAM and Ring Rally, an eSports event running simultaneously with the final round of the British Rally Championship (BRC), the Cambrian Rally.

Automotive lighting and vehicle technology specialists, OSRAM and Ring Automotive, launched an eSports event hosted on Codemasters’ leading 2019 rally title, DiRT Rally 2.0 across Xbox, Playstation and PC platforms.

The OSRAM and Ring Rally challenged players with eight stages on the in-game Wales event, while crews competed in the real-life Cambrian Rally, the last round of this year’s national championship.

OSRAM and Ring’s first ever eSports event offered players the chance to win some OSRAM Night Breaker 200 headlights, Ring’s award-winning MAGflex inspection lights, plus battery care equipment and tyre inflators.

Henry Bisson, marketing director at Ring Automotive, said, “It was great to have players from all over the world take part in the rally, which was an exciting new way of engaging with rally fans and showcasing our brand to the rallying audience. While crews negotiated the tough stages of north Wales for the final event of this year’s British Rally Championship it was an interesting dynamic to be simultaneously watching the virtual OSRAM and Ring eSports action unfold.”

The Cambrian Rally is based in Llandudno, north Wales, and features legendary forest stages familiar with the World Rally Championship event such as Clocaenog, Brenig and Penmachno. World rally superstar Oliver Solberg took overall honours in his Volkswagen Polo R5, ahead of Ruairi Bell in a Skoda Fabia R5, one minute and 51.8 seconds behind.