---
title: "Graham Rahal and a Honda Civic Type R Embark on a Crazy Mixed Reality Race"
description: "The popular Indycar driver races against a virtual reality Civic Type R at the famous Road Atlanta."
date: "2018-02-20"
modified: "2018-02-20"
authors:
  - name: "Jerry Perez"
    job_title: "Deputy Editor"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/jerry-perez"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/18606/graham-rahal-and-a-honda-civic-type-r-embark-on-a-crazy-mixed-reality-race"
categories:
  - "News"
tags:
  - "Civic"
  - "compact"
  - "Graham Rahal"
  - "Hatchback"
  - "honda"
  - "Honda Civic"
  - "indycar"
  - "Microsoft"
  - "Road Atlanta"
  - "sports car"
  - "Type R"
  - "video game"
  - "Virtual Reality"
  - "Xbox One"
---

# Graham Rahal and a Honda Civic Type R Embark on a Crazy Mixed Reality Race

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2018/02/screen-shot-2018-02-19-at-10-06-37-pm.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

If you're a bit confused by the title of this article, we don't blame you, the whole thing is a bit puzzling. Here's the nitty-gritty: Race-winning [Indycar](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/12807/indycar-reveals-its-2018-car>) driver Graham Rahal hops behind the wheel of a real [Honda Civic Type R](<https://thestore.thedrive.com/>) to race another dude in another Civic Type R around Road Atlanta. But, the other dude happens to be pro gamer Peter Jeakins, and he'll be competing against Rahal through the power of Microsoft's mixed reality technology.

The debate has existed for decades now, and it's even been attempted to be proven/disproven on several automotive TV shows including *Top Gear*. How does video game as realistic as [*Forza Motorsports 7*](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/18545/the-bugatti-chiron-comes-to-forza-motorsport-7>) compare to the real deal when it comes to driving and track dynamics? Are the cars faster because they're fake, or are they comparable to their real-life counterparts? Perhaps the biggest differentiator between gaming and the real thing is the fear factor, as Rahal mentions in the [video](<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2DPAnkOPkA&feature=youtu.be>).

https://youtube.com/embed/v2DPAnkOPkA

While the lap of Road Atlanta itself is nothing to lose sleep over, the mixed-reality windshield installed in Rahal's [Type R](<https://www.thedrive.com/video/16701/the-2017-honda-civic-type-r-review-the-hot-hatch-that-cannot-be-unseen>) is. The cutting-edge technology allows Rahal to see Jeakins' Type R on his windshield, just like if the two were actually racing side by side on the track. It's the equivalent to the popular "ghost car" feature found on most racing simulators.

I won't tell you how the story ended, but I personally think Honda should do this at other race tracks around the world.

## Author
Jerry is responsible for upholding The Drive's ethos as an audience-first, enthusiast-driven car blog that serves up industry-leading news, reviews, culture, and motorsport coverage. Overseeing a staff of writers and editors from his home base in Indianapolis, he helps curate the site's daily rundown, as well as its medium- and long-term content strategies. Jerry joined The Drive in 2018 as a writer and worked as news editor and managing editor before becoming the deputy in 2023. As a lifelong car enthusiast and racing fan, Jerry believes that all cars are cool, but the people behind the machines are even cooler. This belief often gives The Drive a slightly different focus from most other car sites, where we explore the humanity behind the machines. When he's not obsessing over the day's biggest stories or hanging out at a race track, Jerry can be found behind the wheel of a car, most likely sharing a laugh with his teenage son or daughter.

### Author social links  
[Instagram](<https://www.instagram.com/drive_jerry/>)