CREVENTIC have confirmed a new partnership with SAS Technologies to provide 24H Series competitors with new driver-information modules and LUMIRANK, LED displays.
The system features two key elements. The LUMIRANK, three-digit LED display is mounted behind the windshield of every entry on the grid in both the GT and TCE divisions showing the current race position of the car. The display also identifies the driver behind the wheel courtesy of a three-letter abbreviation that is alternately illuminated by the LEDs.
The accompanying driver information display meanwhile is mounted on the dashboard and alerts the driver to Code 60 periods and caution flags being waved on-track.
The system works in tandem with the circuit’s official time-keeping system and will be available to all teams competing at official 24H Series events in 2022.
“This is a big step for the 24H SERIES,” explains Ole Dörlemann, CREVENTIC’s sporting coordinator. “SAS Technologies brings decades of experience in motor racing to the fold, and we’re confident this new relationship with not only provide more information to our PRO and ‘gentlemen’ drivers, but also to every 24H SERIES fan watching the race live around the world.”
“Basically the idea behind this product was to help people at these events, or watching on TV and/or livestream, to understand and follow the races more closely,” explains Stefan Sack, founder and CEO of SAS Technologies. “[LUMIRANK] benefits the teams, their sponsors and the series because the information it provides is a lot clearer. And we’re very happy that more and more race organizers, like CREVENTIC, and more teams with multiple drivers, are starting to adopt LUMIRANK.
“I’ve been involved with motorsport for more than 30 years now, either as part of a team or race series organization. Following the race on multiple screens and lots of data was always very easy. But in 2010, I visited a GT race, watched from the grandstand, and could only follow the race on the giant screen with limited information.
“The idea came to me: why can’t the cars themselves show their positions? From that the idea of a display was born, and we spent quite a while developing and testing the system: our first prototype only had a range of about 100m; now it’s up to 5km! LUMIRANK is also the only device that displays the name of the driver as well!”
SAS Technologies’ first official GT race with the system came in 2012 in Baku, Azerbaijan (above the Vita4One BMW Z4 GT3 of Jos Verstappen). Since then, the system has been used by competitors at every Spa 24 Hours since 2014 and debuted at the Nürburgring 24 Hours for the first time in 2017.
One year later, LUMIRANK was used across the full Blancpain GT Series Europe season before making its North American debut at the California 8 Hours at Laguna Seca. By 2020, the system was also being used in Japan’s Super GT.
“The latest big development for a Safety Display is our DRIVER INFO DISPLAY VOICE, which will be used in the 24H SERIES as well,” Stefan continues. “This display is the only one worldwide that ‘speaks’ to the driver via a voice file – like an MP3 – and alerts him to flags. This product is part of the STS System Service, and a lot of development has been completed at the Nordschleife. Over the last two years, we’ve also developed the Bright Full Colour Graphic LUMIRANK Display, through which teams and series can display logos too in the future, when the new version is deployed and when we are satisfied with the on-going test results.
