FIA's 'big brother' project a success

The FIA has decided that its new in-garage system, which was introduced at the Bahrain Grand Prix, will be used for the remainder of the season. In order to ensure its parc ferme regulations the FIA installed a motion-sensitive camera in the garages of all 12 teams.

Until last year the Formula 1 teams had to bring its cars to parc ferme, a closed area in the paddock where cars are stored overnight between qualifying and race. But as there are now 24 cars in the paddock it became more difficult for the FIA to secure an area big enough to host each and every car.

At the Bahrain Grand Prix the FIA introduced with the co-operation of all 12 teams motion-sensitive cameras in the garages of all 12 teams. Once qualifying was finished the cars were returned to the pitboxes, rather than parc ferme, then covered and sealed and placed under camera surveillance. A security guard kept an eye on the camera feeds from all garages and would alert the FIA's technical team when any activity is seen.

F1 teams are not allowed to work on its cars after qualifying until five hours before the race.

Source: GP Update