Host Broadcast Services (HBS) has been appointed to undertake the race coverage production for Superleague Formula, a new motor racing series which launches on 30-31 August at Donington Park in the United Kingdom and covers six countries in its inaugural season.

Superleague Formula is a fusion of two of the world’s most popular sports, harnessing the passion and tribal loyalty of football with the thrill and excitement of motor racing. There will be a field of V12-powered 750 horsepower single-seater race cars bearing the colours of the world’s leading football teams. Traditional rivals on the pitch will do battle at some of the world’s greatest racetracks. The Series is billed as “more than just a race, it’s a spectacular entertainment package for all the family”.

AC Milan, Al Ain, RSC Anderlecht, AS Roma, Beijing Guoan FC, Borussia Dortmund, Corinthians, FC Basel, FC Porto, CR Flamengo, Galatasaray, Liverpool FC, Olympiacos, PSV Eindhoven, Rangers, Sevilla FC, and Tottenham Hotspur are the 17 clubs to have signed up so far.

HBS, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the international sports marketing group, Infront Sports & Media, was selected for the production role in part because of the Infront Group's experience with the HANNspree Superbike World Championship (SBK). Infront has been the majority shareholder in SBK promoter, FG Sport, since May 2007. Using its expertise in host broadcast, HBS has enhanced coverage of the superbike races, resulting in increased interest from broadcasters.

Superleague Formula’s inaugural race season visits six major circuits across Europe, from August – November 2008, as indicated in the table above.

Superleague Formula’s in-house host broadcast unit SFTV have created a cutting edge production plan for the new series. The signal will be fully digital SD 16/9 in the first season of racing and may move to HD (high definition) in the future. Sponsor brand identification will be fully integrated within the coverage and there will be much emphasis on high quality graphic information, including vital timing, distance and duration statistics to enhance the top class race coverage.

HBS will be providing SFTV with 25 cameras for the race coverage, including Superslomotion, Jimmy jib (crane) and four mini-cams as well as pit lane RF cameras, producing two separate feeds (track and integrated feeds) in one OB Van. In addition, SFTV have installed two on-board cameras per car, making a total of 65 cameras. An HBS crew of 60 people will be involved in the production of the signal, cooperating with Infront Italy, who provide services to FG Sport for the SBK. GlobeCast is providing the World Feed satellite distribution.

Superleague Formula President and CEO, Alex Andreu, said: “The quality of the coverage will be absolutely critical in allowing Superleague Formula to get its message across. We wanted something modern and innovative for the television screens and we believe that HBS – with its FIFA World Cup™ and motorsport experience – has the best ideas and track record for this role. Superleague Formula will have more cameras at the circuits than most other motorsport championships or even all, with the possible exception of F1."

Peter Angell, Director, Production & Programming Division of HBS and Producer for the SF race coverage project, said: “We are delighted to be given the opportunity to work on a project that is exciting, new and fresh, which gives us a clean sheet to present Superleague Formula as unique to any other form of motor racing brand. Together with the HANNspree Superbike World Championship project, this project puts HBS and the Infront Group at the front of the grid in terms of motorsport production”.

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