V8 team communications is often shaped by emerging technologies, team expectations and V8 regulations. With almost 2 million people attending the 2013 race season, radio communications is critical to teams in implementing their race strategy. Nissan Motorsport, formerly known as Kelly Racing, approached Icom Australia to partner in providing reliable communications between drivers, engineers, crew and other staff on race days. Challenges of implementing such a system included guaranteeing the system works on and off the track, especially in providing coverage over an entire racetrack. Icom Australia equipped Nissan Motorsports with an analog radio system that withstood the demanding conditions of motorsports. With changes to V8 regulations from 2015 onwards, Nissan Motorsport wanted to maximise its functionality by installing Icom’s IP Radio System, a customised solution to simplify communications in critical moments. This presentation will discuss the evolution of radiocommunications at Nissan Motorsport and the transition period from an analog system to IP, as well as the various business and technical considerations for designing a fit-for-purpose radio system.
