RecceLabWhat is a rally recce? Reconnaissance explained
The recce (short for reconnaissance) is the part of a rally weekend where driver and co-driver drive the special stages before the event, at normal road speed, to write their pace notes. It is slow, repetitive and hugely important: the quality of the recce decides how confidently the crew can drive on the stages.
What is a recce?
Special stages are public roads closed for the competition. Before they are closed, crews are allowed to drive them in a normal road car, in regular traffic and within the speed limits, following a timetable set by the organiser. During these runs the driver describes the road and the co-driver writes it down. The result is the pace note book the crew will use in the rally.
Recce is also where crews learn the route between stages, find reference points for the trip meter, and spot dangers such as rocks on the inside of corners or blind junctions.
Recce rules in the WRC
Exact rules are set in the FIA sporting regulations and in each rally's supplementary regulations, so they can differ from event to event and championship to championship. In the World Rally Championship the core principles are:
- Two passes per stage. Crews may drive each special stage twice during recce. The first pass is used to write notes, the second to check them.
- Road-legal speed. Recce takes place on open roads with other traffic. Crews must respect the speed limits set by law and by the organiser, and speed is monitored with GPS tracking. Speeding leads to penalties.
- A fixed timetable. Recce only happens in the time windows set by the organiser, usually on the days before the start. Driving on the stages outside these windows is not allowed.
- Recce cars. Crews use road cars that follow the rules for reconnaissance vehicles, with a limit on the number of people on board and road tyres.
First pass: writing the notes
On the first pass the driver calls what they see and feel: the direction, the severity grade, modifiers such as long, tightens or don't cut, crests, jumps and hazards. The co-driver writes everything in shorthand and adds distances from the trip meter. A good co-driver also records reference points: a bridge, a house, a road sign, anything that helps them keep their place in the notes during the stage.
The biggest challenge of the first pass is grading at low speed. A corner that is easy at 50 km/h may be a completely different corner at 130 km/h. Experienced drivers learn to picture the stage speed while driving slowly.
Second pass: checking the notes
On the second pass the co-driver reads the notes as if it were the rally, and the driver listens and corrects: "make that a 3, not a 4", "add caution, rock on the inside", "that's 150, not 100". This pass also trains the timing of the reading. By the end, the crew should trust every line in the book.
After the recce: review and video
In the evenings crews go through the notes again at the hotel or in the service park. Many use onboard video recorded from the recce car, or onboards from previous editions of the rally, to check grades and add details. On the rally itself, the notes may be updated again by the gravel or ice note crew, who drive the stages shortly before the competitors to report changes in conditions.
A practical recce checklist
- Read the supplementary regulations: recce timetable, passes allowed, speed limits, tracking devices.
- Calibrate the trip meter to the organiser's road book before the first stage.
- Prepare a notebook, several pencils and a board or clip that works in a moving car.
- Agree the note system in advance: severity scale, distance thresholds for into and and, caution levels.
- Note every reference point that helps you recover your place in the notes.
- Keep the first pass flowing; small corrections belong in the second pass.
- Review the notes the same evening while the road is fresh in memory.
- Respect other road users. Recce happens on public roads with residents, cyclists and farm traffic.
Doing recce with RecceLab
RecceLab helps crews during and after recce:
- Keypad note entry with GPS. Each note is saved with its position, so the book can later be shown on a map and matched to video.
- Offline-first. Notes are stored on the device and synchronised when a connection is available, which matters in forests and mountains.
- Draft from GPX. If you have the route as a GPX file, RecceLab can prepare a first draft of corners before you drive it. The draft is always marked as an estimate and must be checked on the road.
- Video studio. Line up the notes with onboard footage and practise the reading before the rally.
Check your event's regulations before using any electronic device in the recce car.
Frequently asked questions
How many times can you drive a stage on recce?
In the WRC, twice. Other championships and events set their own limits, from one pass to no recce at all.
How fast do crews drive on recce?
At road-legal speed and within any lower limits set by the organiser. In the WRC, recce speed is monitored with GPS.
What car is used for recce?
A road car that meets the rules for recce vehicles, not the competition car. The allowed specification is set in the regulations of each championship.
What does "recce" stand for?
It is short for reconnaissance and is pronounced "recky".