INTERVIEW: The head of Formula 1’s digital unit identified 5G as a key technology in unlocking new experiences designed to bring fans closer to the action in the world’s premier motorsport.

“We’re always pushing the boundaries of what we can do and how we can engage fans at the track,” Pete Samara, director of Innovation and Digital Technology (pictured), explained. The group believes 5G will make a “big difference to connecting fans at the track, giving them a better experience”, with the promise of “high speed, high bandwidth” alone delivering a boost in connectivity.

Formula 1 already offers an app presenting data relating to specific drivers or the overall action, while an OTT platform launched in 2018 offers video content highlights.

The group also runs an e-sports series, enabling the public to “really feel like you’re the player, the driver” through a simulator. And it has a dedicated Chinese championship ready to roll this month, one of several features in the pipeline for fan experience.

But the executive noted delivering a digital fan experience is about more than just following technology trends. “I think the trick is to make sure you’re not chasing technology, it’s to make sure technology [is] helping you with a real business gain.”

Click here for more of Samara’s thoughts on the digital fan experience, along with details of Formula 1’s future plans.