FEATURE
PUTTING FORMULA 1 IN THE OTT DRIVING SEAT In March, Formula 1 announced plans to launch a new live Grand Prix OTT service. The sport has partnered with Tata Communications to provide the technology. Jenny Priestley speaks to Tata’s Mehul Kapadia to find out more
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n late 2015, Tata Communications completed a successful proof of concept with Formula 1 to deliver a live trackside feed from the Singapore track to Formula One Management’s technical HQ in Biggin Hill, UK – with no time lag between the live broadcast and the footage viewed on an app. Racing ahead to two years later, Formula 1 is launching the app to the consumer this month. The new Grand Prix OTT service marks the sport’s biggest investment in its digital transformation to date. Access will initially be available through desktop and web, with mobile and TV apps being phased in on Amazon, Apple and Android at a later date. CDN and connectivity services to distribute the F1 TV content globally are being provided by Tata Communications, which has a long history of working with the sport. “This is the seventh year of our association with Formula One,” explains Mehul Kapadia, managing director of Tata Communications’ F1 Business. “When we began, we were delivering services to them and building on innovation, and we are now engaged with all parts of the Formula 1 ecosystem.” “We work across the whole spectrum and it’s really
been a fantastic journey because we have been able to create a very bespoke sports platform,” continues Kapadia. “We are able to help all of the players within the broadcast side of F1 to leverage that platform, so for example, it allows broadcasters to unlock value within their own organisations as well as providing the stability and reliability they need on services.” Tata is well aware of the changes in the way many sports fans now consume content. A Formula 1 fan is just as likely to watch a race on their mobile whilst on a train as they are at home watching on a 40” screen. “On the video side, it’s all about ensuring the best video experience for fans whether it’s on mobile, television screen or whichever screen the viewer is using,” explains Kapadia. “Our focus has been on the fans and fan engagement and how technology can be driven there. We’ve tried to work hand-in-hand with the Formula One Group to make that come alive.” Since they began working with Formula 1, Tata has been focused on driving change in the way the sport is broadcast. “When we first began working with Formula 1 we tested remote production, so from Biggin Hill we were able to edit their radio feeds,” explains Kapadia. “Then in 2014, we tested 4K as a technology and in
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