'Big brother' is here to stay

The FIA have developed their own version of 'big brother' to keep the Formula One teams in check.

Motor sport's world governing body successfully trialled their new in-garage camera system during the Bahrain Grand Prix to ensure the security of their parc ferme regulations.

Parc ferme is the secure area at a circuit where cars are stored, and with no access to team personnel, immediately at the end of qualifying up until five hours before a race.

Given the increase in the number of cars to 24 this season, it made their relocation into a single FIA-controlled area more difficult.

With the co-operation of all 12 teams, closed-circuit, motion-sensitive cameras operated in the garages of all 12 teams at the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Once qualifying was completed, the cars were returned to the pits, covered, sealed with a tamper-proof fastener and placed under camera surveillance.

A security guard then watched the camera feeds from all garages and alerted the FIA's technical team to any untoward activity.

With early reaction to the system positive, camera surveillance will now continue at every grand prix.


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