MotoGP Goes HD for 2010

HD cameras have been used to film a lot of the racing action over the last year, but full HD broadcasts will be available for the first time with the April 11 season opener in Doha, Qatar.

According to MotoGP promoter Dorna Sports, it took years of planning and preparation to get HD coverage of entire tracks, 17 race bikes, pit garages as well as helicopter shots. The largest hurdle was equipping the race bikes with high definition on-board cameras.

HD MotoGP coverage will be available through 14 broadcasters around the world, including Speed TV in the U.S. Also providing HD coverage are RTL Club (Belgium), Eurosport (France), Sport TV ( Portugal), Digisport (Hungary), Viasat (Scandinavia), ESPN (Latin America), Globosat (Brazil), One HD (Australia), StarHub (Singapore), Sky (New Zealand), Al Jazeera (Middle East), ESPN Star Sports (Asia) and Supersport (Africa).

Working alongside the most recognized sports broadcasters worldwide and being one of the leading motorsports championships, we have a duty to stay abreast of all the emerging technologies which help us to capture the speed and adrenaline of MotoGP, says Manel Arroyo, Managing Director of Dorna.

Dorna is also looking ahead at the next step in television technology. The 2010 MotoGP season will be the subject of a documentary shot in 3D using the same technology used for the Academy Award-winning film Avatar. John Bruno, visual effects supervisor for Avatar, will lead the project.

Bruno produced a three-minute demo film with footage of the 2009 U.S. Grand Prix at Laguna Seca. The video was screened by a select audience at the Indianapolis Grand Prix, and the feedback was enough to give the green light to a 3D documentary. According to Dorna, broadcasters such as ESPN have shown an interest in the project.

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