Insight: How F1 and Moto GP are working to create the cameras of the future

“I’m a great fan of MotoGP and one of the things we have done is to introduce our technical team with the MotoGP technical team, to see what we c…

“I’m a great fan of MotoGP and one of the things we have done is to introduce our technical team with the MotoGP technical team, to see what we can both learn. Because if we can both lift the fan experience, we both gain.

“For instance, camera work, we have got our camera specialists and their camera specialists now working together to see what the cameras of the future should be.”

The words of Ross Brawn, F1’s managing director Motorsports, showing an interesting level of collaboration between F1 and Moto GP.

Behind the scenes, there are learnings from F1 going the other way, with Tata Communications enabling the digital transformation of that sport, as it’s done in F1.

At every MotoGP race, a group of technicians arrives before anyone else to set-up the state-of-the-art system which allows the global television broadcast.

This essential group of experts normally arrives at the circuit the Sunday before race day, spending a couple of days (usually Monday and Tuesday) organising the TV compound ready for broadcasting the race.

Most important to prepare is the international feed; the TV signal sent by Dorna to different broadcasters showcasing the on-track action to homes in their respective countries.

For the past two years, Dorna has been using POD; portable and deployable structures nicknamed ‘plug and plays’, designed specially to fit in the holds of cargo aircrafts.

Since their introduction, the lengthy process of assembling and dismantling the TV compound at each race has been reduced by 24h.

For each MotoGP race, Dorna has around 3,000 people working hard to optimise resources and deliver its broadcasting to fans around the world.

“What we do is to organise races and show them at their exhilarating, fascinating best. Then, we try to deliver them to our fans’ screens in the best format possible,” explains Manel Arroyo, Managing Director of the company and Chief Executive of TV and Media.

When it comes to increasing efficiency, the agreement between MotoGP and TATA Communications which enables a group of five remote production technicians to work from the Barcelona HQ has been pivotal to enhancing the fans’ viewing experience.

“What TATA Communications allows us to do is to have graphic technicians and onboard camera management, which enhances the signal with some additions applied from Spain,” clarifies Sergi Sendra, Dorna’s Television Department Director.

The work done by the technicians in Barcelona allows viewers to use Dorna’s multi-screen function to choose their preferred camera angle for the race – and switch between them.

“Everything is possible thanks to the Ultra-Low Delay Technology developed by TATA Communications which ensures that the signal arrives in Barcelona almost in real time,” concludes Sendra.

Bandwidth has been scaled up from the 600MB Dorna had previously to over 1GB, which means that now Dorna has the ability to do far more exciting things with on board cameras, including 360 action.

By mid 2018 there were a record 131 on bike cameras in the three MotoGP classes, streaming live content; so the director can switch between riders to show the visceral excitement of the sport.

By: Oriol Puigdemont

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