Arriving at the Formula 1 paddock last Thursday, the F1 Digital staff were working with a pair of robots that move on wheels and have a screen on top equipped with a camera, just over a meter and a half Tall.
Fans can interact with drivers and team workers through these screens, which show their faces. The devices are part of a Grand Circus initiative to facilitate fan participation, and have been supplied by a French company called Awabot , which works with a number of major sports teams and organizations.
AI technology has already been used by teams of the stature of FC Barcelona , PSG or at the FIA gala dinner at the end of the 2021 season.
As part of the test, four fans who are currently receiving treatment in a hospital will be connected to the paddock throughout the Spanish Grand Prix weekend.
One of the fans who will virtually join the paddock with one of the robots was left quadriplegic after a car accident six years ago. He is able to drive the robot from a distance using his eyes, allowing him to explore the paddock through this technology.
Another hobbyist is a child receiving hospice care . The technology is used to give them and their families the opportunity to experience this privileged place in F1.
One of Awabot’s ambassadors is former FC Barcelona player and French international Eric Abidal , who will be present in the paddock over the weekend as part of the trial. The French company collaborates closely with the Eric Abidal Foundation, which works to promote the well-being of young people fighting cancer.
In recent years, Formula 1 has tested many new technologies to improve the fan experience, such as holding virtual meet-ups with drivers via screens that were in the paddock at races during the COVID-19 pandemic.
