Those responsible for broadcasting Formula 1 are always willing to go above and beyond when it comes to increasing the spectacle on the small screen, be it through new ideas, better presentation or adopting the latest innovations.
So as F1 enters a new era of regulation changes in 2022 with the Bahrain Grand Prix, the coming season will also see the series fine-tune its broadcasts once again in a bid to improve the show.
This is the summary of the main changes that viewers will see in the 2022 season.
The helmet camera (eye-cam) in Formula 1 racing
Following successful testing in several practice sessions last year, F1 will extend the use of its helmet camera (eye-cam) to 2022.
While it was only used in practice sessions in 2021, the driver’s eye view will make its racing debut for the first time this year, and the plan is to run it in up to four cars per grand prix.
F1 media and broadcast director Dean Locke told Motorsport.com about the helmet cam: “We were very happy with the results last year, and now we’re going to use it in qualifying and racing.
“I think we have to test how we use it a little bit, because sometimes a shorter shot is better for some of those shots.”
At the moment, due to FIA homologation requirements, the helmet camera can currently only be used on Bell -branded ones, but work is underway to have it used by other manufacturers.
F1 has pushed for the helmet camera to work, because the technology from that camera can be applied to unique areas of the car and provide special images.
“We think that once we crack the helmet camera, we can use it everywhere,” Locke added.
“We want cameras in the taillight, or some that we’ve used in the past, like a camera in a mirror or even in the footwells.”
HDR – higher quality images in Formula 1 2022
For those TV channels that can, F1 will be broadcast in HDR for the entire season in 2022.
HDR (high dynamic range) has become increasingly common in sports coverage and offers the highest quality TV picture both on traditional TV screens and on other devices such as phones and tablets.
Locke said: “We’re going to do it in HDR, which we tested last year. We’re very happy with the results and especially in these races under floodlights, it looks really good. That’s a big step forward, really.”
New camera angles for the 2022 Formula 1 season
Formula 1 is always keen to try new things with its camera angles , so it will once again offer some different views in 2022, both from the track and from the car.
Locke added: “We’ve got a nice new low nose, where you don’t see much of the front wing now. That gives a good sense of speed, which is something we always try to do.”
“We’ve also slightly changed some of the camera positions on the track. People think we just come to the races and have the same camera positions, but actually there are differences every year.
In addition to the cameras used for race coverage, F1 will have access to three high-definition cameras during race weekends, up from just one last year.
There will also be two mobile cameras , which will help take pictures of unexpected moments on the track.
Locke said: “If we have a broken car, then we call on the radio and say: go there!”.
“We’ve gotten some really great shots, like when a driver reacts next to his stationary car.”
“But the thing is there are cameras everywhere. We will have more cameras on the pit wall. Last year we had one or two, but we hope to cover all the teams in 2022.”
Drone experiments in Formula 1 2022
While drone footage has transformed many action sports, from skiing to rallying, it hasn’t been widely used in Formula 1.
Teams have used drones on a few occasions during filming days, with F1 testing one at one of the races in Austria during the pandemic, but the preference for aerial shots remains helicopters.
The main reason is safety, as there is a risk of drones falling from heights.
Locke said, “If you look at things like downhill skiing, or anything like that, they’re following a skier. If that drone goes down or something happens to it, it’s not a big deal.”
“There aren’t many spectators on top of the mountains, so it works pretty well for them.”
“If we’re following a car, there’s usually another one behind, which causes us some problems. Also, I think the other part is that our single-seaters are going over 300 km/h, so 300 km/h and a drone is not very Okay”.
But F1 believes the latest technologies in the world of drones are close to being ready for live coverage of Grand Prix weekends.
“We’ve been studying drones closely. It’s not necessarily replicating a helicopter, because it’s really a different take,” Locke explained.
“We hope to introduce them halfway to the end of the season, with some new and unique planes that can only be seen with drones.”
The key to green-lighting this will be making sure the battery life is long enough, as well as being able to ensure the footage is broadcast at a high enough quality to integrate seamlessly into the international feed.
The new graphics that Formula 1 incorporates for the 2022 season
F1 2022 TV graphics
Another very clear change that has already been seen this weekend is the television graphics, which the FOM has extensively renewed for this season.
They have been given more prominence and screen real estate than before, now sitting below the F1 logo, which has been moved to the top left of the screen.
“They have a new look and are very different from the previous concept in terms of look and feel. They’re bold, a little fresher, a little younger. They’re heavily influenced by digital and film,” Locke explained.
