Audio revolution: MotoGP's Sergi Sendra on the evolution of the top two-wheeled motorsport's sound By Heather McLean
Tuesday, January 14, 2025 - 08:49
Print This Story
MotoGP is now entering the third generation of its audio evolution, which will mean riders listening to safety messages from Race Direction, then potentially rider discussions with their teams making it to air live from the race track as the bikes hit phenomenal speeds
MotoGP was the first motorsport world championship when it was born in 1949, with a first season comprising only six Grands Prix. Since then, the sport has grown to a calendar of more than 22 Grands Prix across five continents, and its popularity has soared to a global fanbase of over 500 million. Its live TV coverage has equally expanded into a global, high-octane show reaching more than 200 territories.
In the beginning, MotoGP focused on the visual aspects of its broadcast production rather than the audio, which remained a missing piece for some time, given the sheer volume of sound these prototype machines are able to generate. Yet in 2013 it discovered a partner in audio with Lawo, which took MotoGP from analogue to digital sound.
Sergi Sendra, head of global technology at MotoGP, tells the story: We spent so much effort on the video developing the cameras, developing a methodology for directing, and graphics. There were a lot of things and audio was there, but we didn't have a partner for many years and we were looking for somebody.
The first audio partner [we found was] Lawo in 2013 and 2014, and it's important for me to remember what we achieved with them, thanks to Philipp Lawo and his agreement with us then.
On what those achievements were, he says: That was a way to mix signals, mixing voices, and sound from the track because we were on an analogue system before going digital with them; 2013 was the preparation and we went digital in 2014. But when we made this effort to start producing in surround sound and multichannel sound in 2014, the reality was the audio was still not yet good enough. We realised to make any kind of approach to 5.1 was really, really a big challenge.
The new MotoGP logo, which launched in November 2024
New audio partner
MotoGP then began to look for a new audio partner that could evolve the sound of the sport further. That is when Audio-Technica appeared on the scene, says Sendra. One day in 2018, Audio-Technica approached us to ask if we would be interested in working together. That was in Valencia in 2018.
Rodrigo Thomaz [project manager for broadcast partnerships, Audio-Technica Europe] from Audio-Technica visited us, then he communicated to Robert [Morgan-Males, CEO at Audio-Technica] and we set up a very special meeting in Barcelona, reminisces Sendra.
It was close to Christmas but we had to make it happen. They were interested, but they needed more information. So Robert came to Barcelona and I remember we spent three hours together, and we said, okay, we'll do it .
Audio-Technica was prepared to work with MotoGP to bring the true sound of the sport the bikes themselves to viewers at home. Continues Sendra: The reason [we went for it with Audio-Technica] was somebody for the first time was going to provide audio tools touching the ground for capture. Because at the end of the day, capturing MotoGP is the most complex thing. We're talking about huge spaces; you could fit more than 100 football pitches in a MotoGP circuit, like Austin or Silverstone. I mean, there's so much space to cover.
The roar of those bikes is anything but simple to capture, with a high level of audio contamination that makes focussing on a single subject detail difficult. Says Sendra: And again, it's easier to put a camera in and envision a one kilometre [area of track] than listening to the progression of speed and changes between that point that you see that original point to the end point where the camera will be able to still give you a shot, he explains.
We are talking about sound that's related to bikes, which is kind of a special sound. I don't want to call it noise. It's pure sound. And we didn't have a proper audio system installed on the bikes. We didn't have a proper audio system installed in the garages. We didn't have proper audio system installed on the track side.
Concept for sound
Audio-Technica then set about developing a concept for sound that turned into specialist microphones specifically designed for the unique and challenging MotoGP race track.
The first generation of sound for MotoGP was micing up the overall audio of the track itself. The second generation was about immersive sound, micing the pitlane, the paddock, the crowd, and capturing the atmosphere on the straight, as well as getting microphones on the bikes to accompany the cameras.
Now, the third generation comes from a sporting area request; providing sound from Race Direction to riders as a further safety measure and way to connect them. And this adds also a new chance for MotoGP to mic the riders themselves to capture what they say as they hurtle around the track, as well as any possible conversations with their teams, all of which is set to be no easy task.
Says Sendra: It's now been six years non-stop, developing the concept, the microphones, the capsules, everything related to the way you want to transmit a real environment where there are people, there is noise, there are sounds, there are voices, there's silence. When the bike stops on the track and you want to hear the marshals shouting, and we achieve it.
On the bike microphones, Sendra says: On the bikes we are now able to install up to eight microphones, which is crazy. And why eight microphones? Because we have four cameras. That was an agreement between Sony and Audio-Technica. Each
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
05/06/2026
Berklee Study Reveals Video Has Become Essential to Music Careers Survey findings show social platforms have become the primary source of music for video cont...
04/06/2026
Sony Electronics is introducing the SRG-AS10, a 4K 60p-compatible PTZ auto-frami...
04/06/2026
This recent grad from Spring, TX, led creative-video output for the Aggies' men's basketball team last season and has been producing video and creating ...
04/06/2026
For the first time at a women's golf major, every player in the field will r...
04/06/2026
Three Panasonic PT-RQ45 40,000-lumen 3-Chip DLP projectors made their first live...
04/06/2026
Bitmovin and Akamai have announced a collaboration with NRJ Group, a French mult...
04/06/2026
Telestream will exhibit at InfoComm 2026 (Booth N7952), demonstrating media work...
04/06/2026
Sony has announced the development of RIALTO 65, a 65mm format image sensor block for the VENICE 2 digital cinema camera, targeting release in the first half of...
04/06/2026
KOKUSAI DENKI Electric America will exhibit at InfoComm 2026 (Booth N8025, June ...
04/06/2026
Bell Media's TSN and RDS are the exclusive Canadian broadcasters of FIFA Wor...
04/06/2026
The Challenge: Receiving Heavy Media Files From Road Games Quickly and ReliablyT...
04/06/2026
MASV, a managed file transfer platform used in broadcast and live sports product...
04/06/2026
NESN has announced the appointment of Fahad Haider as Vice President of Operations and Engineering. Haider returns to NESN, where he previously served as Vice P...
04/06/2026
David J. Halberstam, who spent almost 50 years in sports as a broadcaster and an executive, died June 2 after a years-long battle with brain cancer.
Over his l...
04/06/2026
Although collegiate production programs are tasked with delivering high-quality ...
04/06/2026
California studio, two production trucks, global distribution system are combine...
04/06/2026
New global program empowers and supports storytellers through scriptwriting course and access to industry experts
TikTok and Sundance Institute today announce...
04/06/2026
Steinberg DAWs now boast in-depth Tonalic integration
Celemony's innovative virtual session musician plug-in has just received an update that brings ARA...
04/06/2026
Get Hands-On With Over 20 Mic Brands
GearExpo UK is fast approaching, and if you've been looking for a chance to check out some new mics, then you'r...
04/06/2026
Combos feature new Amplifier Intelligence engine
Positive Grid's latest release sees the company introduce two new combo amplifiers that promise to offe...
04/06/2026
Is Your Job Making You Work this June?
4 June, 2026
Media releases
SBS Launches the World Cup Watchers' Rights Association to Stand Up For Australians&...
04/06/2026
Statement regarding unauthorised use of SBS logos on third party social content
4 June, 2026
Media releases
SBS has become aware of social media posts in c...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Bitmovin, a leading provider of video streaming infrastructure, and Akamai, the cybersecurity and cloud computing company that powers and protects business onli...
04/06/2026
American Underground (AU), the Startup Hub of the South and a community of mor...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
NVIDIA and Microsoft Reinvent Windows PCs for the Age of Personal AI
Brie Clayton June 3, 2026
0 Comments
RTX Spark - a 1-Petaflop Superchip, the Full...
04/06/2026
Inside the Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man Grade
Brie Clayton June 3, 2026
0 Comments
Simone Grattarola discusses shaping the look in DaVinci Resolve...
04/06/2026
Cine Gear Expo Announces 2026 Awards of Excellence Recipients
Brie Clayton June 3, 2026
0 Comments
Ed Lachman ASC, Caleb Deschanel ASC, and M. David M...
04/06/2026
St. Vincents Live with Orchestra Tour to Feature Berklee Alum Ruby Plume Berklee alumni St. Vincent and Ruby Plume will appear on the same bill across seven d...
04/06/2026
Home to cutting-edge sovereign AI infrastructure and robotics innovators, as well as one of the world's most passionate gaming communities, South Korea is o...
04/06/2026
Back to All News
All the Truth in My Lies Coming to Netflix on August 28
Entertainment
04 June 2026
GlobalSpain
Link copied to clipboard
Download the imag...
04/06/2026
Back to All News
Larry Tanz, VP of Content, EMEA, Delivers a Keynote Speech at ...
04/06/2026
Back to All News
Turn Your Living Room into a Stadium With the New FIFA World ...
04/06/2026
Keeping conversations real on LinkedIn Published on Jun 4, 2026 Categories: Product News
LinkedIn Corporate Communications
Share
LinkedIn
Facebook ...
04/06/2026
BackStory follows four Irish young people as they travel back to their parents' homelands
Modern Irish identity is enriched by cultures and influences from...
04/06/2026
June's forecast with GeForce NOW: 100% chance of gaming.
GeForce NOW is lining up new adventures for the month, from big-name blockbusters to quirky indies...
03/06/2026
SES and Viva, Mexico's ultra low-cost airline, have launched multi-orbit satellite inflight connectivity on Viva's Airbus aircraft. A total of 60 A320s ...
03/06/2026
The College Football Playoff, ESPN, and TNT Sports have announced kick times and...
Audio revolution: MotoGP's Sergi Sendra on the evolution of the top two-wheeled motorsport's sound By Heather McLean 
