Sky Sports’ F1 intro showcases underlying links between humans and machines

Sky Sports has introduced a new intro for its coverage of F1 races that combines X-ray-style elements and more realistic imagery to emphasize how the intricate components of cars align with the physical traits of drivers to deliver the excitement of a race.

The intro shown here is aired on Sky Sports in the U.K. and its Italian and German markets before switching over to the world feed, which allows rights holders from around the world to tap into shared video of races, similar to how the Olympics’ OBS operates. 

Also like OBS, the world feed has dynamic graphics inserted into the feed showing its own intro plus timer, race stats and other information, that most broadcasters show as provided.

Sky Creative collaborated with Sky Sports, Bigfoot Creative, Coffee & TV and Envy Post to craft an intro that blends 3D environments and schematic imagery with photorealistic imagery.

To set the stage, viewers first see a garage-style door with the Sky Sports logo opening before being transported into a dramatically lit virtual space that’s evocative of a cross between a warehouse, parking garage and body shop.

Bright blue outlines of vehicles, seemingly inspired by both blueprint schematics and 3D wireframes, are shown on screen morphing into fully photorealistic versions of the cars. 

Similarly, drivers are shown with the outline and contours of their bodies formed with polygonal lattices and the underlying skeletal structures in red before transforming, from head to toe, into a full 3D photo rendition.

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Other portions focus on elements such as the eye with thin and intricate circuit-style imagery added to emphasize the laser-like vision that drivers use to maneuver their cars, while the anatomical structure of an outstretched hand interfacing with the controls on the inside of a car, another nod to the key relationship between operator and machine.

Next are scenes that appear to emphasize how posture and flexibility are also important for drivers as well as how the sleek helmets wrap around a driver’s head before the on-screen cars take off in a burst of orange and blue light, giving way to a combination of scenes that depict the vehicles racing around a hybrid of race tracks that weave in and out of virtual cities and more traditional track like environments. 

Finally, various branding elements appear on screen after additional fine-lined tech elements and geometric meshes form the outlines of the marks while additional on-screen accents serve to mirror the dramatic angles in the F1 logotype.

Q&A: Inside Formula One’s broadcast rebrand from Drive Studio

The intro has elements from the 2018 rebranding of F1 racing, especially the use of driver photography and techno accents while also becoming more textural and set inside of a virtual space.

Project Credits

• Client: Sky Sports
• Director of Sky Sports F1: Billy McGinty
• Director of Creative Output: Ben Wickham

For Sky Creative

• Group Executive Creative Director: Ceri Sampson
• Head of Production: Sophie Brooks
• Executive Producer: Sofie Leale
• Senior Producer: Nick Mason
• Designer: Kat Duvnjak

For Bigfoot Creative

• Creative Director: Chris Wilcock

For Coffee & TV Post Production

• Creative Director: Steve Waugh
• Lead 2D: Luke Todd
• CG Supervisor: Richard Coley
• Lead Animation: Jonny Grew
• Producers: Gus Quirk and Joss Brindle

For Envy Post

• Senior Sound Designer: Arge
• Head of Production: Sian Hagan