Fans of Formula One are set for an improved viewing spectacle as the sport embraces artificial intelligence.
A new partnership with Amazon Web Services will see F1 use its Sagemaker tool to gain greater insights into the action on track.
As the most data-rich sport in the world – during a race there are 1.1 million telemetry data points per second transmitted between cars and the pits – there is great scope for AI to predict pitstops, strategy and car performance.
“Standing still is going backwards in Formula One… we’re digging deeper to show you where the performance is coming from – when is a car faster, why is it faster?” Brawn told the AWS re:Invent 2018 conference.
“For next season, we’re expanding F1 insights for our viewers. By further integrating the telemetry data, such as car position, the tyre condition, even the weather, we can use Sagemaker to predict car performance, pit-stops and race strategy.
“There will be some exciting new AI integrations into next year’s F1 TV broadcast.”
During his presentation former team principal Brawn demonstrated how this dynamic information could have estimated Sebastian Vettel’s probability of overtaking Lewis Hamilton in the run down to the first turn at the Mexican Grand Prix.
“Using machine learning and using live data and historical data, we can use predictions of what’s going to happen. What’s great about this is that the teams don’t have all this data,” he said.
“We, as Formula One, know the data from both cars and we can make this comparison, that’s never been done before.
“Machine learning can help provide a proper analysis of the situation. We can bring that information to the fans and help them understand whether he’s in trouble or whether he can manage the situation.
“These are insights the teams always had but now we’re going to bring them out to the fans and show them what’s happening.”