on-board tv cameras

[djb]

"The last time when F1 team entered a third car was in 1985 German GP, when Renault entered a third car for François Hesnault, principally to test experimental on-board TV cameras in his car. "
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A fellow or lass named Mekola posted this in a F1 topic, and as well as finding the trivia interesting and wanting to know more about the Renault connection (why Renault ,and with who, as in TV people or camera people) I was also wondering if any of you remember when on board shots started with the televised races. I have no recollection personally, but I sure that some of you do. The development of these cameras certainly did change how we experienced watching a race on the tube didn't it?

djb

[Ray Bell]

The first truly successful 'racecam' applications were made in the Bathurst 1000 in the late seventies, I would say 1977 or so.

Peter Williamson's Toyota Celica carried a 'racecam' developed by the Seven Network in Australia and within a year he was also chatting to the commentators as he drove!

The technology was exported by Seven, first to America for the Daytona 500, if I recall correctly, but then worldwide.

[Morris 1100]

I remember Murray Walker commenting about the images from the Renault saying how superior the Thompson Camera was over any other and you could hardly see the track!!! and we had clear pictures and sound from channel 7!!

[djb]

Hi Ray, I guess I started seeing F1 on the tele around 79 or 80, and as I said, I honestly can't remember when in-car stuff started. Interesting about Bathurst and Daytona, the cameras then must have been fairly bulky things as well. When was Lap of the Gods made, or rather, when was the footage taken? I recall Walker comparing the high up center view of that 16mm to the current pod mounted video. I suspect though that the French fellow who did that project did it over a number of years, as there was footage of the 6-wheeled Tyrell (75-6-7?) up to the turbo Renaults' of 79 and 80 I think.

Going back to the Aussie connection, I would have thought that a Japanese co. like Sony would have been the first to do this, and soon having the driver talk to the commentaters was quite ahead of its time wasn't it?