Marelli has marked a major achievement in Formula 1 technology by celebrating the successful deployment of its Surveillance Data Recorder (SDR) across 300 official Formula 1 race events while simultaneously introducing the latest generation of the system, the SDR 5, developed in collaboration with the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA). The milestone was recognized during the Monaco Grand Prix, where Marelli presented a commemorative edition of the previous-generation SDR unit to FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, acknowledging the long-standing partnership that has contributed to improving race monitoring, safety and technical compliance across the championship.
Installed on every Formula 1 car, the Surveillance Data Recorder functions as the FIA’s official data acquisition platform. The system continuously captures and transmits critical vehicle information during race weekends, allowing officials to monitor compliance with technical regulations while supporting safety investigations and operational decision-making.
The newly introduced SDR 5 has been developed to meet the requirements of Formula 1’s 2026 technical regulations. It delivers significant improvements in data acquisition, connectivity and analytical capability, enabling officials to process increasingly complex information generated by modern racing cars.
The upgraded platform supports as many as 5,000 data channels with higher sampling speeds, expanded bandwidth and faster processing performance. New Automotive Ethernet connectivity and additional CAN FD communication interfaces improve data transmission while maintaining compatibility with existing vehicle architectures.
Artificial intelligence capabilities have also been incorporated into the system, allowing more sophisticated data analysis and faster identification of abnormal operating conditions. Enhanced mathematical filtering, improved voltage and current monitoring and expanded actuator management functions further increase measurement precision and diagnostic capability.
Throughout every Formula 1 event, the SDR collects information from numerous electronic control systems and sensors, including measurements related to speed, acceleration, pressure and temperature. The recorded data enables race officials to verify technical compliance, investigate incidents and monitor vehicle performance in real time.
The system also plays an important role in post-event analysis by accurately documenting operational events and supporting safety investigations. Faster processing and improved storage capacity enable more comprehensive monitoring without affecting reliability under demanding racing conditions.
Building on more than a century of motorsport engineering experience, Marelli continues to develop advanced electronic technologies for leading racing championships worldwide. The introduction of SDR 5 represents another step forward in supporting Formula 1’s ongoing evolution, providing race officials with more accurate, reliable and intelligent data tools while contributing to higher standards of safety, technical transparency and competitive integrity across the sport.
