F1 head of live production Wendy Hendrickx took FutureSPORT attendees behind the scenes of the sport, sharing insights into how the F1 Live Production Team gets viewers closer to the action.

Speaking to a packed audience at the Amex Stadium in Brighton yesterday (7 November), Hendrickx explained that innovation – on the track and via broadcast production – has always been at the heart of F1, with the Live Production Team tasked with coming up with new and creative ways to immerse viewers in the action and give them “authentic” experiences.

“The fans keep us on our toes, and that’s why we try new things, explore new opportunities, and make sure they have the best possible experience,” she said, before talking through some of the recent additions to coverage of the sport.

First up was Gyro Cam, an on-board unit that can stay level with the horizon to reveal a track’s undulations and camber changes.

“This is especially valuable at tracks with big variations in height, or steep banking – like the Netherlands, for example, which has two very fast sections. Brazil is another where we see a lot of vertical movement,” said Hendrickx.

The gyroscopic effect and vibration can be remotely controlled from F1’s Biggin Hill base.

“Previously, we tried to make on-board cameras as smooth as possible. Now, we’re looking from the viewer’s perspective. They want to understand how hard it is to drive a Formula One car. It’s not just sitting back and relaxing. This angle shows the forces on the driver’s body while driving at high speed through all these different corners and circuits.”

Ghost Car

Hendrickx also spoke about Ghost Car, which provides visual insight into how racing lines impact lap times by using GPS data, timing and telemetry to combine or overlap images of two cars.

“Ghost Car is a new feature for our broadcast partners,” explained Hendrickx.

“We compare pole position with second place. First, we capture lap data, then we use GPS, timing, and telemetry to overlay images. We also have to contend with different camera angles and fields of view, but aligning them helps viewers see how close the racing is. You can see where one car is faster than another; every car has different strengths around a lap.”

Read more F1’s new Ghost Car comparison feature aids broadcaster race analysis

As well as helping to illustrate lap times, it also adds a layer of gamification and appeals to younger viewers, she said.

“This especially appeals to younger fans because it connects to gamification. They’ve seen ghost cars in racing games. It also helps quantify small time differences; when we are dealing with hundredths or thousandths of a second, what does that actually mean? Is that one metre? Ten metres?

“Previously, people haven’t been able to see that difference visually. For example, this year we saw a 0.01-second difference between pole and P2. [Ghost Car] shows how tight it really is and what precision the drivers need at extremely high speed.”

Watch a recording of the session

Hendickx revealed that one of her favourite onboard angles is the Rear Collision Camera.

“We can have up to nine onboard locations, and this one sits on the rear light, just below the exhaust. It gives super-close views and is especially valuable at race starts.”

The challenge, she explained, comes from the environment in which it operates.

“It’s located at the back of the car, exposed to huge heat from the power unit. There’s electromagnetic interference to manage, shielding, heat resistance, and data transport to manage so we can receive the footage.

“We also must not interfere when teams change gearboxes or power units. So, it requires strong collaboration with the teams and the FIA. For next year, we’ve redesigned the position, so it’s definitely something we’ll continue.”

AI advances

And, on the ever-present topic of AI, Hendrickx said the vast amount of data generated during races has made assistance from AI a necessity.

“No human can process it all in a split second, so AI helps turn it into strategy. But the human remains in charge of what goes to broadcast,” she said, giving the example of  team radio transcription.

“There are about 4,500 messages per race across 20 drivers and race engineers. Normally, you hear something once and it’s gone. Now you can just scroll and see exactly what was said. AI’s main role is data processing to support storytelling.”

In addition, F1 partner AWS, through its F1 Insights project, helps to translate data into graphics to aid storytelling, including Close to the Wall, which measures – and then displays – how close each driver is getting to the barrier. Plus, Battle Forecast which combines track history and projected driver pace to predict how many laps before the chasing car might be able to overtake – helping to keep viewers engaged with the action.

“F1 is difficult because it’s not one ball and 24 players – it’s 20 cars spread over up to 7km. There’s a lot happening at once. Insights help explain changes in gaps and race order,” said Hendickx.

Looking ahead, Hendrickx said the sport will dictate what the Live Production Team focuses on next.

She said: “Internally, we’re discussing developments for next year. We’ve already done something new almost every race, whether that’s small system upgrades or new graphics.

“We’re exploring many ideas, though it’s early to share details. There will be significant changes on the grid next year, and that will drive further development.”