GLOBAL: Formula E and Sennheiser have entered into a multi-year partnership that sees the audio specialist become the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship’s Official Sound Provider, bringing Sennheiser’s professional audio solutions and AMBEO immersive audio technology into the championship’s global broadcast and trackside operations. The collaboration is set to explore new approaches to audio capture, processing and encoding, with the aim of creating more immersive ways for audiences to experience the energy and atmosphere of electric racing.

As the first all-electric FIA World Championship, Formula E has continued to position technology and innovation at the centre of its sporting proposition. The partnership with Sennheiser will focus on developing advanced audio workflows capable of translating the distinctive soundscape of the GEN4 era to audiences watching across a wide range of devices. By combining Formula E’s broadcast environment with Sennheiser’s expertise in professional and immersive audio, the two organisations will investigate how three-dimensional sound can strengthen the connection between viewers and the racing action.

“Innovation and technology are at the core of Formula E, and Sennheiser is the perfect partner to help us redefine the audio landscape of our championship,” says Dan Cherowbrier, CTO, Formula E. “Their professional audio technologies and workflows, particularly the AMBEO immersive ecosystem, provide a uniquely dynamic setting to explore the future of sound in racing. This collaboration is a vital proof point in how we connect real-world audio innovation with practical application, bringing fans closer to the action through natural, three-dimensional sound.”

A key component of the technical partnership is Sennheiser’s AMBEO ecosystem, which is designed to support the capture, processing and reproduction of natural, three-dimensional audio. Within Formula E’s broadcast environment, the technology will be explored as a means of conveying the spatial characteristics of racing, from the changing position and intensity of cars on track to the broader atmosphere surrounding each event.

“Formula E represents exactly the kind of environment where meaningful innovation happens,” says Andreas Sennheiser, CEO of the Sennheiser Group. “At Sennheiser, we are driven by the ambition to bring advanced audio technologies into real-world applications, and this collaboration gives us an exciting opportunity to rethink the role sound can play in electric racing. Great visuals deserve equally compelling sound, and we see real potential to define the sport’s unique acoustic character through dynamic in-car and trackside soundscapes. Ultimately, this partnership is about learning, exploring and helping to shape the future of how live sport is experienced.”

The technical programme will extend beyond the broadcast environment to Formula E’s trackside operations, with Sennheiser also contributing to the championship’s onsite fan zones and VIP hospitality experiences. The partnership is therefore positioned to explore immersive audio both as a broadcast technology and as part of the physical event environment.

“AMBEO enables the capture, processing and reproduction of natural, three-dimensional sound, supporting more immersive and emotionally engaging listening experiences,” concludes Kai Detlefsen, Manager, AMBEO at Sennheiser. “Within Formula E, AMBEO solutions will allow viewers at home to feel more closely connected to the dynamic racing environment and to their favourite teams.”