At the 24 Hours of Nürburgring, safety and fairness in the event of incidents on the more than 25-kilometer-long Nordschleife will be taken to a new level this year. Starting in 2026, all vehicles—from GT3 race cars to near-production cars—must be equipped with a video telematics system based on “GPS-Auge.” The app-based information and monitoring system was already an important tool in the race control version, for example, to ensure monitoring of Code 60 zones. Now it is being supplemented by a direct view from the cockpit perspective available at any time. The camera must reproduce the driver’s view of the track—giving race directors and stewards another tool to ensure a clean race and a high degree of fairness.

Live Access to Onboard Cameras
The highlight of the new system: race control can access the video footage live via the GPS-Auge app. “We can theoretically tune in to any vehicle live via the app,” explains Race Director Walter Hornung. “This allows us to observe situations from the driver’s perspective.” It also gives officials a quick overview of a hazardous spot that appears in the field of view of passing participants. This makes the new technology far more than a conventional onboard camera. For the first time, it’s now possible to access live video footage from every vehicle. Important sequences can be downloaded via remote access for later analysis without a technician having to go to the vehicle in the pits or the paddock—even while the race is in progress.

Greater fairness through more video footage
In addition to safety, the system primarily serves the cause of sporting fairness. “In the event of accidents or contentious situations, we can immediately view the videos of the vehicles involved as well as those immediately behind them,” Hornung continues. This enables a neutral assessment of the sequence of events and also makes flag violations, for example, easier to understand. The GPS-Eye system can even download videos automatically. In the past, Code 60 violations were already detected automatically. Now, the corresponding video clips for the vehicles involved are also stored directly in the app and simply need to be reviewed by the officials: Could the driver recognize a flag signal? The rules and fairness officials can now assess this themselves. Long waits for video footage are a thing of the past.

Clear Positioning Requirements
The placement of the camera is clearly specified by the regulations: It must be mounted in the car in such a way that an unobstructed view forward and of the track layout is ensured. The camera’s field of view should correspond to the driver’s field of view without obstructing or restricting the driver’s view. The teams are responsible for ensuring proper installation.

This system allows for even more precise monitoring of the drivers. As a result, discussions about what was visible on the track during a given situation become more objective. On the one hand, this eliminates “hiding spots” for drivers. On the other hand, events can now be better understood and evaluated from their perspective—naturally, this also serves to relieve participants and, above all, to enhance sporting fairness in complex racing situations.