For the Sport Psychology, Sport Physiology and Conditioning training elements, the MSA British Rally Elite use the services of experts in each individual field from Edinburgh University.

Sport Psychology

The Sport Psychology support programme is attempting to develop a programme for each participant which has been uniquely tailored to meet their needs and reflect the differences that exist between them with regard to their performance environment and current skills and competencies. To achieve this, the initial part of the programme has involved several phases of collecting information from different sources that has lead to the report and recommendation stage.

It has been extremely important to develop a good understanding of both the individuals and the sport. There are many examples from other sports where support programmes have failed to produce significant change. One of the primary reasons for this is that the programmes have been generic and have not been tailored to suit individual needs nor delivered to integrate with the performers’ current behaviour.

In contrast The MSA British Rally Elite programme has considered both these issues in providing a high standard of support for this specific group. - Hugh Richards, Edinburgh University.

Sport Physiology and Conditioning

The primary objective was to identify the physiological demands of rally driving, a sport that has received very little scientific attention. Therefore, a day of the Pirelli Rally at Carlisle was observed so that we could plan an achievable data collection day. Then at the Jim Clark Rally the participants in the MSA Elite Programme were closely monitored for factors such as heart rate, hydration status, diet, blood lactic acid and glucose levels as well as muscle fatigue and soreness.

The second objective was to devise a battery of physical fitness tests that specifically represent the demands of rally driving. This allowed us, during the Induction Days, to determine the current status of each participant on the programme. Some of the tests were standard fitness tests, however specific testing focussed on the muscle groups that are stressed most heavily during rally driving (and hence are most susceptible to fatigue and injury), such as the neck and postural muscles used in core stability.

Participants have also been given information regarding how best to prepare themselves, in terms of hydration and diet, for a typical rally weekend, as well as how to prevent injuries and undergo successful rehabilitation in the longer term.

The third objective was to use the information garnered in the testing to provide individualised training programmes for each participant on the programme. In order to assess the effectiveness of the training programmes, the tests performed at the Induction day will be repeated at the end of the programme for this year. - Tony Turner, Edinburgh University.

Sponsorship and Personal Marketing

A Sponsorship and Marketing Workshop helped the participants throughout the year as they were advised on their personal promotion to sponsors and the media. This covered details such as Press Releases and their distribution, and Sponsorship Proposals and how best to deal with prospective and current sponsors.

Media Skills

The scheme has also covered Media and Interview skills and the best approach to adopt when being interviewed in order to make best use of this process. The scheme has also received extensive coverage in the national press and on Motorsport TV programmes including Eurosport and ITV’s WRC programme.

WRC Tests and Team Visits

In order to gain an insight in to how a top WRC team operates, the competitors were given a tour of the Prodrive factory, the home of the Subaru World Rally Team. Here, they also learned about what characteristics the team looks for in their young drivers and how their personal young driver selection process operates. Some of the participants also attended team testing sessions during the year including an M-Sport Ford World Rally team test.