5G network slicing technology will be deployed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the first time this year by UK-based telemetry specialist Control. It is introducing a dedicated connectivity solution with SFR’s network designed to support mission-critical data communications for a large percentage of the 43 cars that will use its telemetry and audio in the twice-around-the-clock classic.
The deployment combines a dedicated 5G network slice with high-priority Class 12 SIMs, providing teams with enhanced reliability for telemetry and audio communications, unaffected by the hundreds of thousands of spectators trackside who will be connecting to the public mobile network around the Circuit de la Sarthe during the weekend.
A 5G slice, Control has explained to DSC, can be thought of as a private lane on a public motorway. While the road is shared, the lane is reserved exclusively for a specific user’s traffic. No other data travels within it, congestion from other users does not affect it, and the lane is engineered to meet specific performance requirements, including guaranteed bandwidth, low latency and prioritised throughput.
Technically, a slice is a logical, end-to-end partition of SFR’s 5G network, extending from the radio masts around the Circuit de la Sarthe through to the operator’s core network. It behaves as though it were a private network built for a single customer, providing the isolation, security and predictability associated with private infrastructure without the cost, hardware requirements or deployment complexity of building a standalone network.
For competitors and operational teams at Le Mans, this means telemetry and audio data can run on infrastructure dimensioned and prioritised for their specific needs, even when large crowds are simultaneously streaming video, posting on social media and making calls on the same public network.
The solution also incorporates Class 12 SIMs, which provide devices with priority access to the network.
Every SIM in a mobile network is assigned an Access Class ranging from 0 to 15, determining how the network treats it when capacity is constrained. Access Classes 11 to 15 are reserved for high-priority users, including emergency services, government organisations, utilities and other critical operations. Class 12 falls within this priority tier.
In practical terms, this means that when mobile network demand around the Circuit de la Sarthe reaches peak levels, devices equipped with Class 12 SIMs are prioritised for network access. Where a standard SIM could be delayed or throttled, a Class 12 SIM is given preferential treatment.
Together, the dedicated 5G slice and Class 12 SIMs provide two complementary layers of assurance. The network slice guarantees a dedicated portion of network capacity, while the Class 12 SIMs help ensure devices can access that capacity when demand is highest.
The deployment also includes enhancements aimed at maintaining connectivity for high-speed vehicles. LTE and 5G networks are typically designed and tested around vehicles travelling at motorway speeds, but later generations of 5G standards introduced specific features intended to improve performance for high-speed rail services.
According to Control, SFR has enabled this functionality on the cell towers surrounding the Circuit de la Sarthe, marking the first deployment of the technology within SFR’s network.
The introduction of network slicing and high-priority access capabilities at Le Mans highlights the growing role of advanced mobile network technologies in motorsport, where reliable, low-latency communications have become increasingly critical to race operations and performance of the teams competing in the current era.
