Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 operates a state-of-the-art technology campus and treats digital and data capabilities as central to competitive performance. The IT organization functions across all business areas to deliver on-track and off-track performance gains. Race preparations involve transporting and deploying a mobile data center, assembling racks, connecting cables, and configuring networks, storage, compute, and Wi-Fi at each circuit. Ensuring IT systems operate reliably around the globe poses significant logistical challenges. Detailed preparation and coordination are required to have infrastructure present and correct when the team arrives at each venue.
Steve Riley, head of IT operations and service management at Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team, gave ZDNET a tour of his racing team's state-of-the-art technology campus in Brackley, UK, and reflected on the impact digital and data have on the sport. "Technology is more crucial in Formula One than ever," he said. "Any sort of manufacturing function in an F1 team many years ago wouldn't necessarily be quite as reliant on IT services as they are today."
Riley explained how his IT function supports the team in the buildup to race weekend. The process begins at the track on the Monday before the race, when a setup crew starts positioning racks, connecting cables, and tweaking systems. "We take a mobile data center around the globe with us," he said. "So, they've been setting that up, making sure networks are up and running, making sure our storage, our compute, our Wi-Fi network, are all present and correct."
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