Rally Roadbook Symbols: Tulips & CAP

Field guide →Beyond the symbols: real rally navigation, recovery, prep & strategy

Study official roadbook pages and practise the reading routine →

Reading a tulip

A tulip is the little picture of the junction. Read it from the dot upward.

Entry ball (bottom)

The filled ball marks the approach side of the diagram. Read from ball to arrow. It is a fixed symbol, not a live marker of your current position.

Distance reference

Identify the precise feature to which the printed distance refers. Standardized examples use a measuring-reference mark or specified feature; do not treat the approach ball or the edge of a GPS validation circle as that point.

Exit arrow

The line with the arrowhead is the way you must go. Its angle shows the turn: straight up is ahead, right is a right turn, left is a left turn.

Context branches

Neutral side lines show other tracks at the junction. Follow the blue/cyan arrowed route; do not assume every unused branch will be crossed out.

Trainer strike cue

This app may explicitly strike a branch in a teaching example. Treat that as extra coaching, not as a universal official-roadbook rule.

Dashed line

A broken (dashed) line means off-piste / open terrain rather than a made track. When the exit goes dashed you leave the trail and navigate by CAP.

Straight onArrive at the ball, the arrow points straight up, keep going ahead. No turn.

Turn rightThe exit arrow swings to the right, so turn right at this junction.

Fork, follow the route highlightTwo tracks split. The blue/cyan arrowed route bears left; the neutral right prong is junction context.

Leave the track (off-piste)The exit becomes a dashed line: leave the trail into open terrain and hold the CAP heading.

Distances & ICO

Distinguish the fixed printed distances, the live counters and the distance remaining.

Total (cumulative)

The big number: distance from the start of the current Road or Selective Section to this diagram.

Partial (interval)

The smaller printed number is the fixed distance from the preceding diagram to this one. It does not count up or reset when an instrument changes.

Live partial and distance remaining

The instrument partial counts distance since its last reset. If it was reset at the preceding reference and remains aligned, subtract it from the printed interval to estimate distance remaining. A printed interval of 0.60 km and live partial of 0.42 km mean about 0.18 km remains.

Trip reset

This trainer resets its partial at simulated waypoints. Real devices and authored diagrams vary, so follow the event roadbook and device procedure.

Correcting the ICO (+ / −)

At a point you are SURE of, make the trip match the roadbook: if it reads short, add with +; if it has over-read (wheel-spin in soft sand), trim with −.

Why it drifts

An independent wheel-sensor trip can drift through wheel spin, tyre changes and line choice. Current organiser NAV-GPS behavior is different.

Calibration

Calibrate any independent tripmeter as its manufacturer and the event require. The 2026 FIM NAV-GPS odometer recalibrates at each waypoint.

Cross-check the book

A mismatch is a warning. Confirm the feature with CAP, tulip, surface and landmarks before adjusting a manual trip at a point you know.

CAP headings

CAP specifies a direction in degrees. Use it with the diagram, distance and ground.

NC.000North (N)

EC.090East (E)

SC.180South (S)

WC.270West (W)

What CAP is

CAP is a compass direction in degrees, written like C.090. COG is your actual direction of travel; CTW is the direction to an opened waypoint.

C.000 / C.360

North. Straight up on the compass.

C.090

East, a quarter turn clockwise from North.

C.180

South, the opposite of North.

C.270

West, three quarters clockwise from North.

Reading the turn

Use the diagram to identify the departure, then use CAP to confirm its direction. A new CAP does not by itself tell you where to turn. Off-piste, combine the instructed CAP with distance, ground and event route constraints.

Waypoint types

Opening makes guidance available; validation records passage. WPE opening also depends on the previous waypoint. These are 2026 FIM defaults; official event documents can redefine them.

Code	What it is	Opens	Validate
DSS Start of stage	Départ Secteur Sélectif, the start of the timed Selective Section.	1000 m	200 m
ASS End of stage	Arrivée Secteur Sélectif, the finish of the timed Selective Section.	800 m	90 m
DZ Speed-zone start	Start of a controlled speed zone; ride at or below the posted limit until the FZ.	1000 m	90 m
FZ Speed-zone end	End of the speed zone; the limit is lifted and you may resume normal pace.	1000 m	90 m
WPV Visible waypoint	Its coordinates are in the roadbook and full GPS information is available. “Visible” does not promise a physical object is visible.	open / far	200 m
WPE Eclipse waypoint	GPS guidance becomes fully available after the previous waypoint validates, or within 1,000 m if the previous point was missed; validation is 90 m.	Previous waypoint validated; 1,000 m fallback if missed	90 m
WPM Masked waypoint	Coordinates are not revealed and GPS CTW/DTW guidance begins within the default 800 m. Its roadbook row remains visible.	800 m	90 m
WPS Safety waypoint	A security waypoint with a 30 m validation radius. Every Danger 3 requires one, but WPS can serve other safety or control purposes too.	1000 m	30 m
WPC Control waypoint	A virtual control with no GPS navigation guidance; only its order/name is supplied, and it validates within 300 m.	none	300 m
WPP Precise waypoint	Listed in waypoint order but not marked in the roadbook and gives no NAV-GPS guidance; default opening/validation figures are 100/20 m.	100 m	20 m
WPN Navigation waypoint	A navigation waypoint used for greater freedom off-piste or in dunes; default opening/validation figures are 800/200 m.	800 m	200 m
CP Physical passage control	A staffed physical control where passage is recorded; it is distinct from the virtual WPC and is normally associated with a WPS.	1000 m	90 m

DSS

Start of stage

Départ Secteur Sélectif, the start of the timed Selective Section.

Opens: 1000 m
Validates: 200 m

ASS

End of stage

Arrivée Secteur Sélectif, the finish of the timed Selective Section.

Opens: 800 m
Validates: 90 m

DZ

Speed-zone start

Start of a controlled speed zone; ride at or below the posted limit until the FZ.

Opens: 1000 m
Validates: 90 m

FZ

Speed-zone end

End of the speed zone; the limit is lifted and you may resume normal pace.

Opens: 1000 m
Validates: 90 m

WPV

Visible waypoint

Its coordinates are in the roadbook and full GPS information is available. “Visible” does not promise a physical object is visible.

Opens: open / far
Validates: 200 m

WPE

Eclipse waypoint

GPS guidance becomes fully available after the previous waypoint validates, or within 1,000 m if the previous point was missed; validation is 90 m.

Opens: Previous waypoint validated; 1,000 m fallback if missed
Validates: 90 m

WPM

Masked waypoint

Coordinates are not revealed and GPS CTW/DTW guidance begins within the default 800 m. Its roadbook row remains visible.

Opens: 800 m
Validates: 90 m

WPS

Safety waypoint

A security waypoint with a 30 m validation radius. Every Danger 3 requires one, but WPS can serve other safety or control purposes too.

Opens: 1000 m
Validates: 30 m

WPC

Control waypoint

A virtual control with no GPS navigation guidance; only its order/name is supplied, and it validates within 300 m.

Opens: none
Validates: 300 m

WPP

Precise waypoint

Listed in waypoint order but not marked in the roadbook and gives no NAV-GPS guidance; default opening/validation figures are 100/20 m.

Opens: 100 m
Validates: 20 m

WPN

Navigation waypoint

A navigation waypoint used for greater freedom off-piste or in dunes; default opening/validation figures are 800/200 m.

Opens: 800 m
Validates: 200 m

CP

Physical passage control

A staffed physical control where passage is recorded; it is distinct from the virtual WPC and is normally associated with a WPS.

Opens: 1000 m
Validates: 90 m

Hazards

Exclamation marks warn of danger. The more marks, the more you slow.

CautionThe first of three increasing organiser danger levels.Read the description, increase attention and create speed margin before it.

SlowA greater danger than one mark; the NAV-GPS also gives an audible warning.Slow early and inspect the described feature before committing.

!!!

DangerThe highest danger level. The location must be associated with a WPS, though not every WPS means Danger 3.Slow well before it, obey the description and validate the associated WPS.

Surfaces

A solid line is a track to follow; a broken line is open terrain.

On-piste (solid line)

You are on a defined track or trail, drawn as a solid line. Follow the road and the tulip arrows.

Off-piste / HP (broken line)

Hors-Piste: open terrain with no track, drawn as a broken line. There is no road to follow, navigate by holding the CAP heading.

Abbreviations

The shorthand you will see in notes and on the cockpit.

CAP: Compass heading in degrees to steer (e.g. C.090 = East).
HP: Hors-Piste, off-piste, open terrain navigated by CAP.
DSS: Départ Secteur Sélectif, start of the Selective Section.
ASS: Arrivée Secteur Sélectif, finish of the Selective Section.
DZ: Start of a speed / safety zone.
FZ: End of a speed / safety zone.
WP: Waypoint, a GPS point you must pass to validate the route.
WPV: Visible waypoint: coordinates supplied, full GPS information, default 200 m validation.
WPE: Eclipse waypoint: previous-point opening, with a 1 km missed-point fallback.
WPM: Masked waypoint: roadbook visible, GPS guidance opens at the default 800 m.
WPS: Security waypoint with a default 30 m validation radius.
WPC: Virtual control waypoint with no GPS navigation guidance.
WPP: Precise waypoint, not marked in the roadbook, default 20 m validation.
WPN: Navigation waypoint, default 800 m opening and 200 m validation.
ICO: A tripmeter; device capabilities and event procedures vary.
CP: Control Point, a checkpoint you must pass (and have your time card validated) to prove the route.
COG / CTW: Actual course over ground / direction from your position to an opened waypoint.
Neut.: Neutralisation: competitors are stopped under race-direction control and parc-fermé conditions.
Ravito: Ravitaillement, a refuel / assistance zone; obey its posted limit and event refuelling procedure.
km / m: Distances: section total and partial from the preceding diagram.

Lexicon, words in the notes

The French shorthand a navigator reads in the roadbook notes column, the words that tell you what the ground will do.

sur: On / along, e.g. "sur piste" means stay on the track.
vers: Towards, head in the direction of the named feature.
bif. (bifurcation): A fork where the track splits, take the marked branch.
att. (attention): Caution, a danger or tricky spot is coming up.
G / D: Gauche / Droite, left / right.
tout droit: Straight on, ignore the side tracks.
piste: A defined track or trail, normally drawn as a solid line.
route / goudron: Sealed / tarmac road, usually a liaison or speed zone.
oued: A dry riverbed (wadi); notes may warn of sand, ruts or a rough crossing.
gué: A ford or water crossing; treat its roadbook warning and event instructions as authoritative.
cassis: A sharp dip / drainage bump across the track, dangerous at speed.
casa: A house or building used as a landmark.
balise: A marker or beacon to navigate by.
sommet / col: A summit or crest, or a mountain pass.
montée / descente: Climb / descent.
gravillons: Loose gravel, reduced grip.
sable: Sand, soft, and the ICO over-reads as the wheel spins.
fesh-fesh: Fine talcum-like dust hiding holes, treacherous, very low grip.
pierres / rocaille: Rocks / stony ground, a surface or hazard description.
virage: A bend or corner.
carrefour: A crossroads where several tracks meet.
pont: A bridge, often noted because it is narrow or visually distinctive.
dunes: Sand dunes, where CAP, distance and visibility cues can be especially important.
puits: A well, a landmark and (historically) water.
village: A populated area; expect people, animals, traffic and event speed restrictions.
grille à bestiaux: A cattle grid across the track, commonly marked as a hazard or reference.
tôle ondulée: Corrugations / washboard: repeated ripples in the track surface.
sebkha / lac salé: Salt flat / dry salt lake; a hard-looking crust can conceal soft ground.
trace: A faint vehicle track (not a defined piste), easily lost; confirm it with CAP and distance.
ornières: Ruts or deep wheel grooves, often called out as a surface hazard.
tas de pierres / cairn: A pile of stones used as a route marker or to flag a hazard.
ligne électrique / pylône: Power line / pylon, a long-range navigation landmark (and an overhead hazard near poles).
clôture: A fence, follow it or find the gate; barbed wire is a real danger off-piste.
plateau / plaine: Open high ground / a flat plain, where sparse features increase reliance on CAP and distance.
ruines: Ruins or an old structure used as a landmark.

Speed zones & timing

Where the clock and the speed limits bite, and how penalties are earned.

DZ, Début de Zone

Start of a speed-controlled zone. Be at or below the posted limit before this point.

FZ, Fin de Zone

End of the speed zone. You may return to race pace.

Speed zone

Between DZ and FZ the organiser evaluates recorded GPS speed under the rule-defined limit, tolerance and penalty procedure.

Neutralisation

A controlled stop ordered by race direction under parc-fermé conditions, not merely an untimed road stretch.

Road section / liaison

A link run to an allotted time rather than competitive Selective-Section time. Obey traffic law and event timing.

CP, Control Point

A staffed physical passage control. A miss receives the penalty defined by the applicable event table.

Penalty

Time added to your result for over-speeding, a missed waypoint or CP, or a rule breach.

Training reference based on current FIM rally-raid rules. Event-specific values and briefing instructions always take priority.