Follow cars on Track Map
The Track map module shows car markers on a circuit map during live or replay sessions. Add it to the F1 Sensor card when you want a quick visual view of where cars are on track.
Availability
| Mode | Availability |
|---|---|
| Public live timing | Not available during live sessions |
| F1TV Auth live timing | Available when a valid token unlocks live car position data and the session publishes usable data |
| Replay Mode | Best effort when the replay archive contains car position data |
Live Track Map depends on F1TV Auth. Replay Track Map is separate from live auth and can work later from archived replay data when the session archive contains car positions.
During live sessions, Track Map follows the configured Live Delay. This keeps car markers aligned with the other modules and with delayed TV or streaming broadcasts. Replay Track Map is not delayed.
What to expect
The card shows a circuit outline, driver markers, optional lap progress, and track status context. If the session does not provide usable car positions, the card waits instead of showing misleading locations.
If Formula 1 publishes an invalid position frame, for example a frame that places every on-track car at the same zero coordinates, the card marks position data as unavailable and keeps the last usable markers stale instead of moving every car to the wrong place. It automatically recovers when valid positions return.
Supported circuits can show a map quickly. For newer or unsupported circuits, replay data may need enough usable position updates before the map can be drawn.
Add the Track map module
Edit an F1 Sensor card and select Add module > Track map. Start with automatic entry selection, then adjust driver labels, focus, map orientation, lap progress and track-status presentation under Module options.
For a card containing only the map:
type: custom:f1-sensor-card
version: 3
title: F1 Track Map
modules:
- type: map
id: map-1
The module uses the F1 Sensor installation selected for the card. It can inherit the shared driver focus or use an independent focus.
Status messages
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
Live | The card is receiving live Track Map data |
Replay | Replay Mode is playing Track Map data |
Waiting | A session is loaded but no car positions are available yet |
Stale | The latest live position data is too old to trust |
No position data | Replay position data is unavailable at this point in the loaded session |
No geometry | Car positions exist but the map outline is not ready |
No session | No live or replay session is loaded for Track Map |
Not loaded | The card has not received a Track Map snapshot yet |
If car position data is missing, stale, or incomplete, the card waits instead of showing misleading car positions.
Incident location context
When Track Map data is fresh enough, Incident Detection can use it as optional location context. This can add a neutral location summary to f1_sensor_incident events, such as on-track status, sector, stale state, or pit-lane context.
Track Map is not required for incident detection. Public confirmed incident alerts continue to work without F1TV Auth and without Track Map.
Troubleshooting
Cars do not show during a live session
Live Track Map requires F1TV Auth and live car position data. Check sensor.f1_f1tv_token_status, then check the Track Map card status. If the diagnostic entity is present, sensor.f1_live_timing_mode can also help confirm that live timing is active.
Replay shows a map but live does not
Replay Mode can use archived car position data after the session. That does not mean the same data is available from public live timing. Live Track Map still needs F1TV Auth.
The card says Stale
The last live position update is older than the Track Map freshness window. This can happen when Formula 1 stops publishing position updates, the session is inactive, or the saved token stops working.
The card says No geometry
The card has car position data but cannot yet draw the map outline. This is more likely on newer or unsupported circuits, especially before enough replay data is available.
Limitations
- Live Track Map requires an active F1 session with usable position data and working F1TV Auth.
- Replay Track Map is best effort and depends on the archived session data.
- The map outline may be unavailable for unknown circuits until enough replay data exists.
- Track Map is a module in the F1 Sensor dashboard card, not a normal Home Assistant entity.
Optional demonstration
Open the existing Track Map animation if you want to see marker movement. The image above and the written instructions cover the setup without animation.