In a world first that fuses video games technology and real world driving skill, Castrol EDGE has premiered its latest Titanium Trial driving challenge – a head-to-head race between two global adrenaline junkies and international driving stars: Formula Drift professional Matt Powers versus UK racing & stunt driver Ben Collins (previously “The Stig”).

The thrilling race saw the young rookie, Matt Powers, go up against the more experienced driver, Ben Collins, on a groundbreakingtrack that pushed them both to the limits of their talent.

The pair raced for glory on the sunlit tarmac in LA in real world 2015 V8 Ford Mustangs lubricated by Castrol EDGE engine oil, while all the drivers could see was a perilous virtual reality track featuring an ever-evolving terrain of sheer drops and death defying twists and turns through their state-of-the-art Oculus Rift Kit 2 headsets.

Fusing video games technology with real world driving skill, the cars responded in the real world on the track. For Matt this was similar to the #VirtualDrift trial he undertook in May 2015, though this time he needed to pit his skills against the ultimate opponent as well as the hurdles of the futuristic terrain.

British race driver Ben Collins, famous for his role as ‘The Stig’ on BBC’s Top Gear and his stunt driving in the latest Bond movies (including the recently released Spectre), had to pull on his extensive driving experience to tackle this unchartered territory.

The full-length video showcasing their battle is being premiered online via http://castrl.co/TT3 at 9.00am GMT on 3rd December.

The ‘Virtual Racers’ challenge is the most recent episode in the Castrol EDGE Titanium Trials – a series of high-powered driving challenges that bring man, machine and oil together to push the boundaries of performance. The challenges are driven by the strength of Castrol EDGE boosted with Titanium FST™ – Castrol’s most technologically advanced and strongest engine oil yet. Previous Titanium Trials Blackout and Virtual Drift have been viewed and followed by more than 156 million people across the globe to date.