How to Choose an Onboard Camera for Rally & Racing (2026 Buyer's Guide)

If you race or rally, you want the footage: to relive the stage, review your lines, settle an incident or share on social media. But a camera that works fine on a mountain bike often lets you down in a competition car. After more than 10 years building onboard camera kits, and with our systems fitted in over 4,000 race and rally cars worldwide, this is our honest guide to getting it right.

Why a normal action camera isn't enough

Once you're strapped into a bucket seat with a harness and a helmet on, you can't reach a camera mounted on the roll cage. That one problem causes most of the disappointment we hear about:

Forgotten recordings. You start the stage, then realise the camera was never switched on.

Flat batteries. Action camera batteries rarely last a full rally day or race weekend, especially in the cold or the heat.

Hours of useless footage. Leave it recording to be safe and you fill the card with pit lane queues, service parks and parc fermé.

Silent footage. The camera's microphone hears engine and wind noise, not your co-driver's pace notes.

Washed-out windscreens. Default settings expose for the dark cabin, so the view of the road turns white.

The 5 things a motorsport camera setup needs

1. Wired control. A button on the dash or roll cage that turns the camera on and starts recording with one press, and switches it off with another. You only record what matters.

2. 12V power from the car. Running the camera from the car's electrics means no charging and no flat batteries. Wired properly, it runs as long as the car does.

3. Recording confirmation. An LED next to the button tells you, at a glance, that the camera really is recording. No guessing at the start line.

4. Intercom audio. A cable from your intercom (Stilo, Peltor, Zero Noise, Terratrip and others) records pace notes and radio straight into the footage. For rally, this transforms the video.

5. Settings and heat management for a car. Spot metering stops the windscreen whiting out, and newer, hotter-running cameras need active cooling to survive a summer stage.

GoPro or a dedicated motorsport camera?

Dedicated motorsport camera systems exist, often with data overlays, and they can be excellent, but they usually cost considerably more. A GoPro gives outstanding image quality for the money and is the camera most drivers already know. What it lacks out of the box is exactly the list above: wired control, car power, confirmation and intercom audio. That's the gap our kits fill. A properly set-up GoPro system gives most drivers everything they need, at a fraction of the price.

Which setup for your discipline?

Rally. One camera with a road view through the windscreen, plus intercom audio, covers what most crews want. That's our Complete Rally Setup. Want the crew in shot too? A second camera on its own button gives road and in-car views together: see the Two Angle Rally Setup.

Circuit racing and track days. A single forward-facing camera with one-button control suits most racers: see The Complete Racing Setup. For wheel-to-wheel racing, a rear-facing camera is invaluable for incident review: see the Two Angle Racing Setup.

Already own a GoPro? For HERO5 to HERO13, Plug & Play adds wired control, LED and 12V power without modifying the camera. For older models, we can add wired control in our UK workshop.

HD or 4K?

HD (1080p) is proven, reliable and looks great on YouTube and social media. 4K gives sharper detail for close-up replays and big screens, but the cameras run hotter, which is why our 4K kits include active cooling. If you're unsure, HD is the right choice for most drivers.

Where to mount the camera

For the classic road view, mount the camera on the roll cage behind the windscreen, close to the centre line and as near to driver eye height as you can. For a crew view, a rear cage tube looking forward captures both seats and the road ahead. Whatever you choose, use a rigid mount: a flimsy mount turns every bump into a blurred, shaking picture. A solid metal mount such as our Uprated Aluminium Cage Mount makes a big difference on rough stages.

5 mistakes we see every season

1. Relying on the camera's own battery. It will run out at the worst moment. Power it from the car.

2. Wiring the power in the wrong place. Some systems need to be connected directly to the battery rather than after an ignition relay, or the camera can drop out. Follow the instructions for your kit.

3. No recording confirmation. Without an LED you're guessing. Too many drivers discover at the finish that they recorded nothing.

4. Ignoring audio. Rally footage without pace notes loses most of its magic. Plan the intercom cable from the start.

5. Default settings. Out-of-the-box settings aren't made for a car cabin. Get the metering right, or buy a system that's set up for you.

Where to buy: what to look for in a supplier

Whoever you buy from, look for three things: kits that are tested in real competition cars, support from someone who understands motorsport (ideally reachable at an event weekend), and a proper warranty. Every Wired Remote kit is built, configured and tested in the UK, ships free worldwide, and comes with a 12-month warranty, with an Extended Warranty available that even covers motorsport accident damage. And if you have a question, you'll be talking to Tom, the person who builds the kits.

Quick questions

Can I use a GoPro in a race car? Yes, and most drivers do. Add wired control, 12V power and a rigid cage mount and it becomes a reliable motorsport camera.

How do I power a GoPro in a race or rally car? From the car's 12V supply with a hardwired power kit, so it never runs flat. See our Hardwired 12V Power Kit.

How do I record intercom audio? With an intercom cable from your intercom box into the camera, so pace notes and radio are recorded with the video.

Questions about your car? Use live chat, email tom@wired-remote.com or call +44 7793 866333. We're always happy to help.