New Spa test aims to make F1 drivers easier to spot

Jul.26 (GMM) Formula 1 is trialling a new way to help fans more easily identify drivers – by placing each driver’s three-letter abbreviation directly on the car’s onboard camera housing.

The test, taking place this weekend at the Belgian GP, is a response to growing complaints that drivers are becoming harder and harder to recognise at speed – especially from trackside or on television. F1 and the FIA hope the move will provide an instant visual cue for viewers, much like the timing screens already do.

“VES” for Max Verstappen, “HAM” for Lewis Hamilton, or “ALO” for Fernando Alonso are examples of the codes now appearing in stickers on both the top and sides of the cars’ camera units.

The solution addresses a growing visibility problem that has worsened over the past decade. As cockpits became deeper and the Halo safety structure was introduced, the visibility of driver helmets – once the easiest way to distinguish who was driving – diminished significantly. Helmet designs themselves have also become less reliable identifiers, with drivers frequently changing liveries race-to-race.

F1 had already mandated more visible car numbers in 2017, requiring teams to display them prominently on engine covers. But that measure clashed with commercial priorities and had only limited success, especially for fans viewing cars at speed. Previous experiments with digital displays were also shelved after limited testing.

Current onboard camera housings already feature colour coding – one car per team runs a black camera, the other neon yellow – but even this is little understood by many fans.

The new name sticker trial avoids commercial conflict, as sponsor branding isn’t allowed on the camera housings. However, space is tight, and it remains to be seen whether the initials will be clearly legible at racing speed.

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