2017 F1 Connectivity Innovation contest kicks off

Tata Communications, which serves as the official connectivity provider to Formula 1, has launched the 2017 edition of the F1 Connectivity Innovation Prize.

The first challenge of this year’s competition has been set by Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport, with a focus on the Internet of Things (IoT). For a chance of winning the US$ 50,000 (approximately Rs 32 lakh) grand prize, Formula 1 fans and technology enthusiasts will be required to come up with ideas for IoT solutions that could be used by the team to enhance its performance at each Grand Prix.

The solutions will have to encompass three key areas of the team’s performance: human performance, race operations and logistics management.

“The future of the digital world lies in enabling tens of billions of people and things globally to become seamlessly connected - this will open up tremendous opportunities in how we engage with one another and everything around us,” says Julie Woods-Moss, Tata Communications’ president and chief innovation and marketing officer.

“As F1 enters a new era of digital transformation, we want to drive innovation in the sport through game-changing IoT solutions that have the potential to not only take the teams’ execution on and off the track to the next level, but also enhance the race experience for fans around the world.”

The competition will comprise two challenges, with the judges picking three winners from each.  The six winners will be awarded trips to the 2017 F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where the jury will announce the Grand Prize winner.