F1 need to be 'careful' with NEW heart rate TV graphic plan

Domenicali tijdens persconferentie Spa-Francorchamps — Photo: © LAT Images

Formula 1

F1 need to be 'careful' with NEW intrusive TV graphic plan

A Formula 1 employee has admitted that they need to wary when publicly displaying driver's heart rates.

Jay Winter

Monday 17 July 2023 10:42 Updated: 11:10

Formula 1 has acknowledged the need for careful implementation when introducing new TV graphics that showcase drivers' heart rates during races.

While the sport is excited about this new area of data presentation, there is a recognition of the importance of striking the right balance between privacy and detailed data-driven storytelling.

Justin Laurie, technical producer at F1, emphasised the need for editorial caution in presenting this data effectively.

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"Obviously there’s an element where you have to be editorially careful with how you present that data, it has to be presented in the right way and tell the story," he said to Motorsport.com.

"Every driver is different, and everybody is physically different, so we have to take all of that into account when we're making these decisions about how we are going to use this data going forward.

Laurie acknowledged that in a fiercely competitive environment where teams are constantly searching for any possible edge, examining the heart rate data of a rival driver could potentially yield valuable insights that may offer teams strategic benefits during races.

“I suppose there is always the potential that that might be the case,” added Laurie. “I know that the teams watch the screens and watch what’s going on. Everything has an advantage, I suppose, so every bit of information for a team is useful.

“We’ll have to play in the right way. Hopefully, editorially, we’ll find that right approach and that right balance.

"But I think the main thing is to give the audience a new insight into how a driver is feeling. We’ll see where that takes us moving forward, especially for F1."

{inlineimage[https://sportsbase.io/images/gpfans/copy_620x348/ecc459ccff38936b33592d2ff67785ab3e488289.jpg][F2 championship leader Frederik Vesti is a fan of the heart rate monitor][2]}

F2 drivers approve

F2 championship leader Frederik Vesti is a fan of the heart rate monitor

The response from drivers who have tested out the new graphics has been largely positive.

Frederik Vesti, the current F2 Championship leader, welcomed the heart rate display, noting that it provides fans with a glimpse into the pressures drivers face, both physically and mentally.

"I just watched 10 seconds of the race where I saw my heart rate going up while I was doing an overtake. I think it's a pretty cool thing," the Danish driver.

Formula 1 aims to expand the use of heart rate data analysis in Formula 2 and eventually introduce it to F1 drivers. The goal is to provide fans with a deeper understanding of the physical and mental pressures drivers experience on the track.