22 DISTRIBUTION
November 2017
From grid to podium , Riedel helms pole position in every Formula One race
by josephine tan
Riedel Communications has been providing communications infrastructure to some of the largest international sporting events in the world , including the Olympics and the Formula One ( F1 ) World Championship .
Particularly for F1 , which Riedel has been involved in since 1993 , the company follows all the races that take place annually from March to November across five different continents , supplying its radio and intercom systems to the race control and various race teams .
On the racetrack where peak noise levels typically exceed 130dB , these systems are critical in enabling “ seamless , real-time ” communication between race control , teams and drivers . And all these audio and video feeds are being managed at the Command and Control Centre , which Riedel has built specially for F1 .
The Command and Control Centre is a single flyaway system , which is equipped with Riedel ’ s MediorNet media network devices , and Artist 64 and 128 matrices , which collectively provide all radio and intercom services for the race .
The key responsibility of the Command and Control Centre is to manage all the feeds received from more than 100 cameras positioned along the circuit , ensuring that these feeds are available to the Fédération Internationale de l ’ Automobile ( FIA ), Formula One Management ( FOM ), as well as all the F1 race teams throughout the race , said Alexander Wilczek , motor sport solutions specialist , Riedel .
He told APB : “ We manage a var iety of feeds — such as analogue inputs , SD , HD and IP feeds — and we need to ensure these feeds are visible and viewable by the race teams , the FIA and FOM at any time during the race .
“ The reason for a mixture of different source feeds is because not all the race circuits are equipped with IP cameras ; some of the circuits are still using analogue cameras . In order for us to record every feed available from the circuit , we need to have a hybrid video recording system which is capable of handling both analogue and IP feeds .”
From the Command and Control Centre , video streams are distributed to each race team ’ s garage for monitoring of the progress of their cars along the circuit . In this way , Wilczek added , each team is able to get the opportunity to monitor its cars along the circuit , as team engineers at the garage are able to switch between the track cameras through these video steams .
Additionally , Riedel has installed a software solution that enables the FIA race control to monitor each situation and each track decision during the race . Elias Kreko , IT specialist , Riedel , explained : “ The main purpose of this system is to analyse critical scenes while monitoring the entire race , and how each driver is performing on the track .
“ We also manage telemetry data , which each team is providing to the FIA from both cars . Telemetry data is analysed by the FIA software engineers to decide how each car is performing on the track . Using this data , the FIA engineers are able to compare different car situations at different track laps , before making any decisions that may impact the race .”
To enable the distribution of audio and video feeds from the Command and Control Centre to their respective destinations , Riedel provides its RiLink Global Fibre Service that transports bidirectional links not only at race circuits , but also to RTL Germany .
As the F1 rights-holding broadcaster , RTL Television is responsible with furnishing the feed sent from host broadcaster FOM with services — including vision and sound control , editing suites and replay servers . The production team is based in Cologne , and has been relying on RiLink Global Fibre Service to enable a remote production concept .
Riedel ’ s equipment has to be highly flexible when it comes to managing different video inputs and the infrastructure of each racetrack .
Ferrari is one of the F1 race teams that has been utilising Riedel ’ s radio and intercom system .
Riedel manages all audio and video feeds received from the racetrack to all the race teams , including the Haas F1 team , as well as the F1 governing body FIA and host broadcaster FOM .
Patrick Mandl , motor sport solutions specialist , Riedel , elaborated : “ Fibre connectivity is very important here in F1 , and also critical for us , because all our communications from FIA to the teams rely on the RiLink Global Fibre Service . The biggest advantage of developing our own fibre network is having absolute control and knowing what we can rely on .
“ Of course , we did consider both options of installing a fixed fibre network at every track , or having a fibre network that travels from race to race . We picked the latter because we ’ re only at each racetrack for a week , and in the 55 weeks in between , we ’ re unable to control and maintain the condition of the network infrastructure .”
The remote production concept is supported by a MediorNet on-site backbone that provides de-centralised router functionality , alongside six MediorNet MicroN signal distribution network devices and two MediorNet Compact frames . With this network infrastructure , RTL Television only requires its presenters , reporters and editors , cameramen and technicians to be at the racetrack .
“ Now we do have more opportunities to produce and edit simultaneously while having increasing production reliability . Due to the ability to produce and edit in our Cologne headquarters , we do have instant access to our content library to enrich our reports ,” said Stefan Flügge , head of sports production at RTL Television . “ Reduce the team ? On the contrary , we expanded it to ensure the quality of our broadcast workflows , and to increase the amount of content .”
The recently concluded Japanese GP also saw the first deployment of Riedel ’ s Bolero wireless intercom system being tested on grid . Launched this April , Bolero offers connectivity that can be applied in three ways — as a wireless beltpack , a wireless keypanel and a walkie-talkie radio .
Dario Rossi , head of motor sport division , Riedel , explained : “ We have already tested Bolero at several races this season , such as at the Italian GP and the Monaco GP . For instance , the race director has already used Bolero at the Italian GP , and the FIA is currently using it at the Japanese GP .
“ We will acquire data and feedback from the engineers who have used Bolero while continuing to test it throughout the 2017 season . We look forward to rolling Bolero out progressively to the race teams , the FIA and FOM , for the 2018 season .”
Moving forward , Rossi revealed that the 2018 season is going to be “ challenging ” for Riedel , as there will be a total of 21 races from the current 20 . He concluded : “ For the first time , we will have three back-to-back races , which is more complicated for us because we will have to bring in new procedures and carefully plan the equipment .
“ Travelling from racetrack to racetrack is another challenge because we ’ re dealing with different set-ups . Hence , our equipment has to be highly flexible when it comes to managing different video inputs , and the infrastructure of each racetrack .”