How Formula 1 is Supercharging Innovation and Technology

Last Thursday, BritCham GuangDong was honoured to welcome Graeme Hackland, the IT Director and CIO of Williams Martini Racing, to our lunch talk event in Shenzhen.

Graeme gave an introduction of the Williams Formula 1 Group, as well some of the technology the team use both in their cars and in the garage.

To any fan of Formula 1 (F1), motorsport’s fixation with innovation will come as no surprise. F1 teams are the ultimate competitors. Driven by intense rivalry on track, the demands of high-rolling sponsors and the equally high-octane expectations of 425 million global TV viewers, the pressure to perform couldn’t be greater.

This is not just a commitment, it’s an all-consuming passion for speed. Innovation is its decisive edge… the critical advantage that powers some teams to pole position and relegates others to the back of the grid. And this passion flows down the line to the many motorsport firms that supply products and services to F1 teams. 

So you might think that the skills developed in such a rarefied environment would have little relevance outside the motorsport arena. But think again…

The surprising truth is these innovation skills are highly transferable.

Graeme shared examples of how F1 innovations has been used in sectors as diverse as hospital emergency rooms, supermarket refrigerators and air traffic control systems.

Following Graeme’s introduction of the Williams Formula 1 group and the specific commercial successes of the company, attendees from a diverse range of industries and background asked many thought-provoking questions as such:

·         How did other companies leverage F1 derived technologies and capabilities to drive profitable growth?

·         How did the teams at Williams perfect the art of team-coordination?

The lunch talk offered a great opportunity for the leaders in different industries to share their expertise, and the occasion inspired many creative ideas too.

More importantly, the lunch talk proved to be a really effective networking opportunity too, many attendants were encouraged to exchange contact details and conversations during and after the event.

We’d like to give a big thanks to Atlas for providing the meeting space in their modern and accommodating new location in Shenzhen.

If you would like more information about the Chamber’s upcoming events, please contact our Event Manager echo.ji@britchamgd.com