ESPN on ABC’s coverage of the 2007 Indianapolis 500 was the first IndyCar Series event ever to be televised in HD, said ESPN, which now plans to televise all 16 events of the racing season in HD for the first time.
ESPN said this week that starting now, all cameras used in its IndyCar Series coverage will be HD—including specially built point-of-view cams located in the cars and at other unique vantage points along the race track. Some cars will be equipped with 360-degree rotating cams for the live coverage.
The new onboard cameras are the first in domestic motor sports, ESPN said, and represent the next generation of the onboard system, which was developed by Broadcast Sports Inc. The firm worked with the racing league’s tech team on wind-tunnel simulation and other aerodynamic research to ensure the HD cams do not affect the cars’ aerodynamics, especially at speeds over 200 mph.
The IndyCar Series season begins on March 29 with a primetime telecast on ESPN2.
