Motorsport by its very nature is dangerous - it says so on the back of the ticket. DiRT 4 is all about embracing that danger. It’s about the thrill, exhilaration and adrenaline that is absolutely vital to off-road racing.

DiRT 4 will feature a game changing system called Your Stage; an innovative rally route creation tool that allows you to produce a near infinite number of unique stages at the touch of a button. You choose your location and set the route parameters then Your Stage does the hard work to create a unique rally stage that you can race, share with your friends and then challenge them to beat your time. Your Stage allows experienced rally players to create longer, more technical routes, whilst newcomers can create simpler shorter routes as they hone their skills.

Globally renowned for delivering premium quality, authentic and fun racing games, Codemasters is once more bringing its talent and experience to the world of off-road driving. With DiRT 4, the team have sought to combine the levels of thrill and realism from last year’s DiRT Rally with the fearless excitement, accessibility and adrenalin-fuelled contests previously seen in its critically acclaimed prequels DiRT 2 and DiRT 3.

Featuring classic rally racing that continues to build on the foundations set by the Colin McRae Rally games, the bruising contests from the official FIA World Rallycross Championship, the crazy battles of racing trucks and buggies, and the outrageous fun of open events in Joyride, players will face the challenges from as far apart as Australia, Spain and California in a truly global sport.

Codemasters and Motorsport Network are pleased to announce the launch of the inaugural DiRT World Championships, beginning 19 February 2018.

The DiRT World Championships will give gamers the opportunity to win a test drive at the Silverstone circuit in a stunning RX2 rallycross car. A showpiece finale that will be live-streamed on Motorsport.tv, will bring the Championships to a climax on 26 May at the Speedmachine festival, which hosts the British round of the FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy.

Using the Community Events system in DiRT 4, players will compete online in rally and rallycross events to earn a place in the live-streamed quarter-finals and semi-final before gaining a place at Speedmachine. Details of the rounds, rules and how to take part can be found on the DiRT World Championships website.

Operated in conjunction with Gfinity, a global leader in eSports events and competitions, there are six weekly qualifying rounds in total with the first beginning on 19 February. Round One challenges you to set the best time in a two-stage rally in Australia using a Group A car. The two fastest times on each platform (PlayStation 4, Xbox and PC) will qualify for the quarter finals. Motorsport Network is committed to utilising its global reach of motorsport fans to live-stream and promote the event, amplified by 200+ of the world's most influential journalists with coverage across 21 editions in 17 languages.

“We are delighted to announce the DiRT World Championships,” said Codemasters’ eSports Manager, Andy Gray. “DiRT 4 has a vibrant and highly engaged community and we will be showcasing their incredible skill and dedication throughout the tournament. Having the final at Speedmachine, in front of a live audience of motorsport fans, will put the world’s best players in the spotlight on a global stage. We cannot wait to see how our champion performs in a real RX2 car, on track in front of a huge crowd at Silverstone.”

Speaking about the partnerships involved in the DiRT World Championships, Andy continued: “We have enjoyed great success working with Gfinity on the F1 Esports Series so we look forward to continuing that relationship. We continue to work closely with our long-term partner, FIA World Rallycross Championship, and have also initiated an exciting new media partnership with Motorsport Network who will leverage its incredible reach to bring the tournament to a wider audience across Motorsport.com, Autosport.com, and Motorsport.tv.”

"We at Motorsport Network are thrilled to come on-board as a partner of the DiRT World Championships" says Colin Smith, CEO Motorsport Network, "Partnering with Codemasters, leaders in the gaming industry, is a valuable opportunity that will no doubt spark enthusiasm and engagement from our audience."

Additional details of the rounds, rules and participation with a RaceNet account can be found on the DiRT World Championships website.

Featuring two different handling models, Gamer and Simulation, DiRT 4 offers both depth and accessibility for players old and new to the franchise. The game’s innovative Your Stage system allows you to produce a near infinite number of unique rally stages at the touch of a button. Your Stage allows experienced rally players to create longer, more technical routes, whilst newcomers can create simpler shorter routes as they hone their skills.

DiRT 4 challenges you to “Be Fearless” by capturing the thrill, emotion and passion of off-road racing. It recreates the heady mix of adrenalin and fear that comes from powering around a blind bend and the rush you feel going for a last ditch overtake when there’s not enough room on the final lap of a race. Off-road racing is about more than perfect cornering, it’s about heart-pounding split section decision making where bravery brings reward.

Key Features:

• OVER 50 OF THE MOST BREATH-TAKING OFF-ROAD CARS EVER BUILT – Including Ford Fiesta R5, Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI, Subaru WRX STI NR4 and Audi Sport quattro S1 E2
• 5 INCREDIBLE RALLY LOCATIONS WITH MILLIONS OF ROUTES – Australia, Spain, Michigan, Sweden & Wales
• THE OFFICIAL GAME OF THE FIA WORLD RALLYCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP – Race at Montalegre, Lohéac Bretagne, Hell, Holjes & Lydden Hill in a multitude of different series
• LANDRUSH – Short-course dirt track racing in Pro Buggies, Pro-2 Trucks, Pro-4 Trucks and Crosskart vehicles in California, Nevada and Mexico
• JOYRIDE - Laptime challenges, smash challenges, free-play area and send challenges to friends
• DiRT ACADEMY – Taking place at the DirtFish Rally School in Washington, USA, learn the skills, techniques and practice to become the best!
• CAREER MODE – create your driver, compete across the disciplines, gain sponsors and build your team with clear goals and rewards
• COMPETITIVE GAMING – Daily, weekly and month-long challenges against fellow players from around the world
• NEXT GENERATION OF RACENET – Live ladder, leagues and tournaments, cross-platform leaderboards, enhanced CREST telemetry system
• TUNING – Tweak your set-up based on vehicle, track and weather conditions to best suit your racing style
• DAMAGE & REPAIRS – Wear and tear is faithfully recreated with an improved and realistic damage model. Damage can be repaired by hiring  Engineers to work in the team’s Service Area between stages but with a finite amount of time available.

DiRT 4 is currently available on PS4, Xbox One, and PC via Steam.