FIA’S NEW FORMULA 1 RACE OPERATIONS CENTRE OPENS AT FOM’S BIGGIN HILL BASE

The FIA has opened its new Race Operations Centre at Formula 1's Biggin Hill broadcast facility in the UK, creating a remote nerve center for race officiating. The ROC will back up race control and stewards in real time, using AI systems to catch jumped starts, track limits violations, incorrect grid positions, and pit lane infractions without officials being on-site.

Biggin Hill already processes the raw camera feeds from hundreds of trackside operators into the world feed millions watch. Now it houses the FIA's decision-support hub as well. FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem and F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali opened the facility together, with Ben Sulayem citing the championship's global growth as justification for the infrastructure investment.

The move centralizes officiating technology as the calendar expands. With COTA, Mexico City, Vegas, and potentially more North American rounds on the horizon, the ROC lets the FIA maintain consistent enforcement without shuttling the same officials to 24 races a year.