F1 planning first HDR TV broadcast tests in 2021
Formula 1 will conduct its first tests broadcasting in HDR this year, seeing it as the “next stage” of its TV coverage.


HDR (high dynamic range) has become increasingly present across sports broadcasting in the past 12 months, offering the highest quality of TV picture on traditional screens as well as phones and tablets.
BT Sport has already completed a number of HDR sports broadcasts in the UK, while Sky is planning to have extensive HDR infrastructure in place by the summer.
The Tokyo Olympic Games are expected to offer a number of big breakthroughs in sports broadcasting, with significant steps being made recently in the United States through the first use of 8K technology in the NFL and NASCAR.
Speaking to select media including Autosport following the launch of the updated version of F1 TV, F1 director of media rights Ian Holmes identified HDR as being the next major advancement for the series’ broadcast technology.
“Of course, we’re looking at the development of that side of technology,” Holmes said when asked by Autosport if F1 was tracking the use of 8K cameras.
“One of the things that we’re specifically looking at - you mentioned 8K - is HDR, high dynamic range, which is very effective for fast-moving objects.

"We will be conducting tests this year, and that for us I think is potentially the next stage of an offering.
“We’ve also got to look at who could take it. If we had a feed tomorrow, there would be very few people who could take it. The other thing is sometimes you produce this wonderful technology, and the broadcasters have the ability [to show it], but people’s devices are not capable of taking it.
“There is a sweet spot. But that feed has got to be as good as it can be from every perspective.
“The Olympics always pushes the boat out a little bit, as it’s once every four years. Quite a lot of technology often comes through from that, so I’m quite interested, especially with it being in Japan, that’s always quite an interesting thing to pay attention to.
“But certainly for us, I think HDR is something that we’re quite excited about.”
Since 2017, F1 has offered broadcasters footage in 4K ultra-high definition, which is available in the UK via Sky Q.
While 4K UHD offers a high image quality by using more pixels on-screen, HDR creates a better quality of those pixels, and is more noticeable on small screens compared to 4K.
Related video

LIVE: F1 Bahrain 2021 pre-season testing - Day 1
Haas formally unveils VF-21 F1 car following Bahrain shakedown

Latest news
The five factors behind Sainz winning a British GP he’d twice lost
Formula 1 has a newest race winner, in a grand prix the victor appeared to have lost twice, only to charge back to headline a sensational and dramatic British Grand Prix. From a massive start crash to a late sprint finish, here’s how five factors saw Carlos Sainz take his maiden grand prix win
Why there was no case to answer in Aston’s latest F1 copycat saga
The appearance of a revised Aston Martin in Spain caused controversy but PAT SYMONDS explains why the FIA investigation found the Silverstone team had no case to answer
Why it's Red Bull that really leads a three-way fight so far at Silverstone
After a slow start to Friday at Silverstone, all the Formula 1 teams had to effectively cram in a day’s worth of practice into one hour. But there was still plenty to learn and while Ferrari topped the times, a three-way battle is brewing ahead of the British Grand Prix
Why the future is bright for the British GP
It wasn’t so long ago the situation looked bleak at Silverstone with the future of the British Grand Prix under threat. But a transformation has seen it restored to one of the most important races on the Formula 1 calendar, with bigger and better to come
Could mixed fortunes for F1's leading Brits turn around at Silverstone?
For the first time in many years, none of the local racers starts among the favourites for the British Grand Prix. But George Russell, Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris could have reasons for optimism
Verstappen exclusive: Why F1’s champion isn’t fazed by Silverstone return
Max Verstappen is the world’s number one racing driver… and he’s determined to keep it that way. Speaking exclusively to GP Racing's OLEG KARPOV, the Red Bull driver explains why he’s relishing the 2022 championship battle with Charles Leclerc – and why he’s not worried about returning to Silverstone, the scene of the biggest accident of his career last year
Why Red Bull’s RB17 hypercar can help its F1 team
On Tuesday, Red Bull laid out its plans to develop and build a new hypercar - the RB17 - penned by Adrian Newey. As the project itself sates Newey as a creative outlet, it also offers Red Bull's Formula 1 team a number of new and exciting avenues to pursue
What to expect from Mercedes as F1 returns to Silverstone
OPINION: The British Grand Prix is a home event for Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, with their Mercedes team based just a few miles away too. But there’s another reason why the Silver Arrows squad is eager to arrive at Silverstone this weekend, which may help it fix its remaining problems with its 2022 Formula 1 challenger