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Helmet cam video from F1 races is always thrilling to watch. Seeing the nearly superhuman reflexes of F1 drivers piloting 1,800-pound roadgoing missiles at triple-digit speeds is awe-inspiring. Thankfully, we should be getting a lot more of that in the 2023 season, as the FIA just made a deal with the Racing Force Group, who will supply every driver with this incredibly small driver’s eye camera.
The Driver’s Eye is a shockingly small camera that measures just 8 millimeters in diameter and weighs 1.43 grams. The entire camera can fit on the tip of your finger. It was made that small to fit in the protective padding inside the helmet without causing any safety issues.
According to Craig Scarborough, the driver’s eye camera will be wired to a control unit powered by the car, and the standard F1 hardware on board will transmit the camera feed. Of course, the helmet and camera wiring are homologated to meet FIA safety regulations. All drivers, regardless of helmet manufacturer, will be able to use the driver’s eye camera starting this coming season, whereas previously it was just available to drivers who wore Bell Helmets.
This won’t be the first time in-helmet cameras are used in F1. Last year, there were a couple of drivers who tested out helmet cams during a few different races. Charles Leclerc and Fernando Alonso both used helmet cams in races throughout the season. Most notably, Leclerc wore one for the 2022 Dutch GP, giving fans a first-person look at what it’s like to lap Zandvoort Circuit.
These new helmet cams should make next season’s races more exciting, as we’ll get far more first-person views of the action. There’s no word on whether the cameras feature any stabilization, so it might make some viewers a bit sick watching the shaky first-person cams, but the shakiness shows just how violent F1 cars really are. Additionally, the footage from the cameras will likely be heavily featured in the following season of Drive to Survive, which no doubt factored into the FIA’s decision to add the cameras to every helmet.
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