Timing is Everything:

From World Cup Skiing to Formula One Racing, Tag Heuer’s history and experience have brought timing to a new fraction of a second. This new agreement to be the official timekeeper of the Indy Racing League brings that new dimension to such races as the Indy 500 – the most popular race.

 It’ll be the same basic technology for IRL and their cars, Jean Christoph Babin, president and CEO of Tag Heuer SA said.

If the similarities exist it may mean approximately twenty technicians and specialists on the spot to install and operate the timekeeping system.

Like Formula One - Nineteen antennae will be used to measure times and speeds on the track, nine of which will be in pit lane. Three time measurements per lap: (finish, split 1 and split 2).

Transponders would be on each and every car including back ups allowing the exact location and speed of the car to be read instantly anywhere on the track.

More than 150 monitors will be placed around the track to communicate the results to engineers, drivers, the media, guests and officials. Each monitor will have four pages of information available – including three time measurements and three speed measurements, one maximum speed, rankings and number of laps.

The drivers name on the screen changes colour from white to red if in pit lane. Numbers change to yellow as they pass antennae then back to white showing progress through each stage of the track. A green number means the drivers time is improving.

The technology of telemetry and timing is an intricate part of racing. There is a need for precision and accuracy. The win can be only a nanosecond away and we all know that famous saying – second place is the first loser.