As the world’s fastest and most technologically advanced sport, Formula 1 is constantly looking for the next big evolution.
Fueled largely by technological breakthroughs and growing media attention, the sport has changed dramatically even in the current decade, as new rules and regulations aim to promote closer racing and more exciting action, balanced with a major focus on sustainability.
But how does the FIA, Formula 1’s governing body, ensure the sport is reactive enough to remain exciting for millions of viewers around the world? The answer is through data, and behind this transformation is Amazon Web Services (AWS).
Drive to the limit
“Formula 1 as a sport has always been at the forefront of the technology curve, pushing itself to its limits,” Rob Smedley, AWS F1 consultant, told TechRadar Pro at the recent British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
Smedley is quite a legendary figure in the Formula 1 engineering world, having previously worked at Jordan, Ferrari and Williams before holding various senior positions for the Formula One Group and later AWS.
“Timing is everything, and the time is right for AWS and F1 to collaborate,” he added. “It has evolved from a fairly thick technology roadmap that Formula 1 and AWS want to achieve together, to something that has just exploded and is getting bigger. and bigger.”
AWS has been working with Formula 1 since 2018, with its expertise in processing large amounts of data on a regular basis, making it an ideal partner for the sport.
“It was truly a meeting of minds,” notes Dr. Neil Ashton, Principal CFD Specialist Solution Architect, AWS, “they had the goal of wanting to transform the sport.”
Previously, the teams were fiercely protective of all their technology, meaning that development and advancement wasn’t something fans could concern themselves with, and media partners often only had sparse timing data to try and keep viewers interested in the racing.
However, the Netflixization of Formula 1 has transformed the sport in recent years, with the hit series Drive to Survive helping to open what was previously a somewhat niche and even nerdy pastime into a global hit.
This has included expanding to a much younger and more engaged audience, with the challenge now of maximizing that interest and engagement and ensuring fans stick around, even despite dominant performances in recent seasons from the likes of Mercedes F1 and Oracle Red Bull races.
As Smedley points out, “The most important aspect of any sport is the fan base, and the more you can grow and interact with that fan base, and immerse them in the sport, the more successful your sport is – simple as that.”
“It is the right time for us to use the technology and technology culture that already exists in Formula 1 to drive fan engagement.”
AWS technology is used to turn the data teams normally take for granted, such as tire wear and pit windows, into comprehensible chunks for broadcasters and media that can then be digested by even novice fans watching at home.
But AWS has also played a huge role in shaping the future of the sport, working with the FIA to shape the latest round of regulations governing the design of the cars.
The new regulations have come into effect for the 2022 season and have undoubtedly led to closer races and more engaging action lower down the field, even if the car escaping to victory in the distance is often quite predictable most weekends.
Smedley, who admits in his days as a race engineer that he often had to bite his tongue when receiving new rules and regulations, notes that the FIA’s partnership with AWS felt like a much more coherent process that ended with a much more complete set of rules.
“Cloud computing from AWS has helped (Formula 1) to … explore many more designs than otherwise would have been possible without it,” says Ashton, “It is considered a success from all angles, and I would like to think that AWS is a small play a role.”
Looking even further ahead, Formula 1 has made a host of commitments to sustainability, perhaps the most obviously non-environmentally friendly sport possible.
It has pledged to go “Net Zero” by 2030 and has already introduced a slew of new rules to make this happen, but Smedley notes there is still some way to go – namely through the use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD ) that allows the teams to design and manufacture upgrades largely through simulations (run on AWS systems, of course) without the need for in-person testing.
“The whole idea of digital simulation is from a speed point of view, you can do it faster, but also from a sustainability point of view,” agrees Ashton, “the simulation gives you a sustainability advantage… we can join this partnership to help them to give that (sustainability boost).”
Pat Symonds, another legendary engineer who has overseen triumphs for the likes of Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso, and is now Head of Motorsport at Formula 1, agrees that the vision of sustainability is essential for the future of sports.
We don’t want any of our fans to be ashamed of being an F1 fan
Pat Symonds
“We don’t want any of our fans to be ashamed of being an F1 fan,” he notes, highlighting how using sustainable fuels and better grouping of races should have an immediate impact.
Ultimately, however, the future of Formula 1 will depend on keeping fans engaged, and both Smedley and Ashton believe AWS has a key role to play in this.
“We’ve always been experts at making fast race cars,” notes Smedley, “but now it’s time to engage that wider audience by using technology.”
“The most important aspect of all this is the fans. No matter what the on-track action is like and how it unfolds, we need to make sure Formula 1 delivers an ever-improving sport.”
Symonds agrees, noting that while “data used to be a dirty word” in Formula 1, hopefully the future looks bright for the sport.
“I’m looking forward to the future,” he says with a big smile on his face, “next year is always the best year!”