Making Motor Sport History
Formula E’s 2023 CORE Diriyah ePrix made Motorsport history in January with the first ever digital pit lane, which featured 11 bespoke Driver Garages, a digital FIA Technical Garage and a TV Studio.
We gave our usual pitlane garages an upgrade working live event specialists adi.tv. The 180-metre LED pit lane was installed at the Riyadh Street Circuit for the only night race in the Formula E race calendar.
We were originally briefed by Formula E in 2021 to design and build a pitlane that worked as a temporary touring structure, with the attributes and structural integrity of a permanent garage. We had the vision to future proof the modular structures with digital technology at the prototyping stage, and with ADI’s expertise were able to bring the garage to life at the testing circuit in Valencia. It was so exciting to be able to fully realise this vision at the race circuit in Riyadh.
The attributes of the Halo modular structure system meant it was perfectly set up for fixing and high weight loading required to attached the LED screens.
The digital displays utilised over 200 hours of unique content to modernise the look and feel of the pit lane – which historically features static, printed signage – as well as offering Formula E a flexible canvas to promote the drivers, race sponsors, brand partners and their own messaging to the 35,000 in-venue spectators and global TV audience.
Through the combination of high-resolution LED displays and ADI’s bespoke playout solution, ADI’s on-site crew had the ability to turn all of the separate digital garages into a single canvas – with animated video content running seamlessly from garage to garage. In addition to showing team branding and race statistics, an unprecedented automated system was developed which allowed the FIA technical team to trigger in-race regulation flags and display them throughout the pit lane’s digital canvas in real time.
LED technology was deployed across the track, hospitality, fan village and pit lane, which created a brand-new race presentation experience for drivers, teams, guests and remote Formula E fans for the night race.
