Unprecedented security at a grand prix will accompany Russian president Vladimir Putin’s visit to the inaugural race on Sunday.
F1’s regular television broadcasters have been told that when Putin’s security personnel scramble radio frequencies to prevent potential bombs being triggered, live video images and microphones will possibly go dead temporarily. And the Daily Mail also claims that “radar guarding” against airborne threats could cause television interference, while TV crews have been told not to film Putin or the visiting king of Bahrain too closely.
Amid the controversial Ukraine conflict, security is also noticeably high in other areas at the new Sochi Autodrom, including the presence of armed guards and airport-style checks. The German newspaper Bild has more details. It claims then when Putin is scheduled to visit the building opposite the grandstand, windows will be obscured to thwart any potential assassins.
The report also said the F1 teams’ and FIA’s radio systems will be affected by the anti-bomb frequency scramble, which could last up to 15 minutes. And Bild said that security will be so tight when Putin is on the grid that regular ‘grid walking’ broadcasters may be unable to complete their normal duties.
