An obvious correlation between sports and virtual reality has been apparent for some time now. The latest sports industry to focus on this immersive technology is Formula 1. Parent company Liberty Media will launch a fully immersive 360-degree VR app ahead of the next season. An interesting approach that can make more people excited about Formula 1 racing again.
Experiencing F1 in Virtual Reality
Technology and sports are coming together on more than one occasion very season. A lot of things have changed in recent years, especially where immersion and statistics are concerned. Virtual reality allows franchises to take this concept one step further. So far, VR has received interest from the basketball and baseball industry. Formula 1 is a bit of an unexpected addition, although one that also makes a lot of sense.
The current goal is to bring 360-degree VR racing app to the virtual reality community. The Formula 1 is partnering Dream VR to build this application over the coming months. Considering how over 3 million users watch every single race, this may be one of the more successful VR-oriented sports ventures to date.
Formula 1 Manager of Partnerships and Digital licensing Albert Goma adds:
“We are always looking for innovative ways to help fans get closer to their favorite drivers and teams and through this progressive partnership with The Dream VR, we have found yet another way to achieve this. We are hugely excited to now be able to offer another unique content experience of immersion and interaction to our fans, wherever they are.”
For the time being, not much is known about the application itself. It will be made available to all devices supporting The Dream App. There is a plan on the table to incorporate full races, as well as pre- and post-shows alike. Moreover, viewers should be able to access team garages and the paddock to get a better feel for the excitement surrounding a Formula 1 race. The big question is whether the app will be free to use, or require a subscription to access.
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