The best onboard camera for motorsport: how to choose
The spec sheet is the least important part of a motorsport camera. What matters is whether it records every stage or session without you having to think about it. That means no forgotten record button, no flat battery, and no overheating halfway through. We've fitted camera systems to over 4,000 race and rally cars, and these are the things that actually make the difference.
1. Recording you can't forget
Strapped in, helmet on, with a start marshal counting down, reaching for a camera is the last thing you'll do. A wired button within reach of the driver or co-driver, with an LED in your eyeline that shows the camera is recording, removes the guesswork. One press starts it and one press stops it.
2. Power: batteries or hardwired 12V
Action camera batteries are small, and a long day of stages or sessions drains them. A hardwired 12V supply runs the camera from the car itself, so there's nothing to charge and no battery to swap between stages.
3. Resolution and heat
Rally and race car cabins get hot, and small cameras throttle or shut down when they overheat. 1080p HD is proven and runs cool, which makes it the dependable choice. 4K gives sharper footage but generates more heat, so it needs active cooling to stay reliable in a hot cabin.
4. Exposure: the windscreen problem
Inside the car, the bright windscreen and the dark cabin confuse automatic exposure. You end up with either a white sky and road or a black interior. Setting the camera to spot metering keeps the view ahead readable, and it's worth setting up before the event, not in the service park.
5. Audio: pace notes and intercom
For rally crews, the onboard is far more useful with the pace notes on it. An intercom cable records audio from systems such as Stilo, Peltor, Zero Noise and Terratrip straight into the footage, so you can review the notes against the road.
6. Mounting
Suction cups and adhesive mounts don't last on a stage or kerb. A rigid clamp on the roll cage keeps the picture steady and the camera where you put it. An extended arm helps you find the angle you want in cars with awkward cage layouts.
7. One camera or two?
One camera covers the view ahead. In rallying, a second camera on the crew shows how the car is being driven and captures the co-driver's work. In circuit racing, front and rear cameras give you both sides of any incident, which can matter if a stewards' decision comes down to footage.
Quick picks
Rally and want it all sorted: The Complete Rally Setup
Rally and want the road and the crew: Two Angle Rally Setup
Race, do track days or time attack: The Complete Racing Setup
Race and want front and rear views: Two Angle Racing Setup
Already own a GoPro HERO5–13: Plug & Play Wired Control
Own an older or different GoPro: Add Wired Control To Your Camera
Just want to stop charging batteries: Hardwired 12V Power Kit
Common questions
Can I use my own GoPro? Yes. Plug & Play Wired Control fits HERO5–13 with no modification to the camera. For other models, including older HEROs and Max, we offer a fitting service.
Does it come set up? Every complete kit is built, configured and tested in the UK before it ships, with step-by-step instructions. In Great Britain we can also come to you and fit it.
Where do you ship? Worldwide, free of charge.
Still not sure which setup suits your car? Message Tom on live chat or WhatsApp. You'll be talking to the person who builds the kits.
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