– A white attachment in the shape of a “U” on the roof of most DTM cars first attracted attention at the official test in Spielberg in mid-April. Interestingly, at the season opener last weekend at the Red Bull Ring, suddenly all vehicles were equipped with the part, whose cable leads into the interior of the vehicle. What is the device that has not been seen in recent years?
Read more Stellantis focuses its efforts on four brands
The answer: This season, the DTM cars are equipped for the first time with an onboard antenna that transmits data at 5G speed. 5G stands for the fifth generation and is currently the most powerful mobile communication standard, allowing the transmission of large amounts of data in real time without delay.
The onboard antenna is positioned on the roof of the car so that it is not disturbed by other radio signals. It even has a built-in router and connects to other access points around the racetrack, allowing the video footage from the onboard cameras inside the car to be transmitted via its own internet network.
New technology enables onboard cameras in all cars
Not only the DTM cars have been equipped with the system from the company Riedel since 2026, but also the cars in the ADAC GT Masters and GT4 Germany. However, since not all vehicles have onboard cameras for TV transmission – in Spielberg, seven of 21 DTM cars had them – a dummy must be fixed on the other cars for weight reasons.
In addition, teams must ensure that the antenna’s cooling channel is not blocked. It is planned that with the introduction of 5G, in the future not only one third of the field will be equipped with onboard cameras for TV transmission, but all cars.
Read more Question of the Week: Will the Miami changes reshape F1?
Until now, conventional signal technology and a fiber optic cable around the track were used instead of 5G technology to get the onboard video footage to the broadcast trucks.
Antennas less conspicuous at the season opener than at the test
Interestingly, the position of the U-shaped antennas on some cars changed compared to the test – and they were partially painted in team colors. This is because the DTM officials sought a less conspicuous appearance after the test. On the Mercedes-AMG GT3, the part was still fixed at the front of the roof during the test but then moved to the rear end of the roof.
The innovation could bring further advances. Currently, the cars are equipped with up to three camera systems: the camera for TV transmission, the team’s system, and the incident camera system, which provides footage to the race stewards for disputed situations.
Currently, the incident cameras are equipped with a sealed memory card that is read out by the technician after the session so that the material can be used. In the future, the 5G system could make it possible to use only one camera system and transmit all video data in real time.
Read more Looking forward to Barcelona: Herta wants to convince Cadillac with pure speed
