How Data Works in Formula 1
Christine Steven, Mercedes’ Lead Electronics Development Engineer, explains, ‘There are over 250
sensors on the car during an average race weekend, and these can be divided into three main
categories: control, instrumentation, and monitoring. All of this delivers pressure temperature,
inertial, and displacement data. These sensors are embedded into all systems on the car, and their
size varies according to their function and type.
‘For example, the FIA-mandated TPMS system measures tyre pressures installed inside the wheels. In
addition, we have small thermal imaging sensors mounted on the wings and floors to measure the
surface temperature and degradation of the front and rear tires, respectively.’
Evan Short, Team Leader of Trackside Electronics Systems at Mercedes F1, says, ‘Taking the total
amount of data generated over the weekend by the car, including video and all sorts of ancillary
information, it’s close to a terabyte or even a bit more per car. But if you look at the really exciting
bits of data which are the live data streams generated by the car while it’s running, we’re looking at
about 30 megabytes per lap of live data and two or three times more once the car is in the pits and
we offload the data from it.’
Trackside Control Systems Engineer, Chris Nelson, added, ‘So with sensors all over the car, we
receive data from all aspects of the vehicle behaviour, driver inputs, and driver performance. For
example, we can see exactly what the driver is doing in terms of breaking inputs, throttle steering
angle, what buttons and switches he’s changing on the steering wheel, and also overall car
performance, including aerodynamic performance from aero sensors measuring pressure, the
performance of the power unit and the drive line, including temperatures, pressures and all sorts of
information. We can then use it to understand what the driver’s doing, what the car is doing, and
how it behaves in the different ambient conditions and corners around the track. So, it’s useful
information to understand what’s happening out on track.’
1. Decide whether the sentence is true or false.
1. There are 250 sensors on the car during an average race weekend. (False – over 250)
2. There are three main categories of data delivered by sensors. (True)
3. Thermal imaging sensors are mounted on floors and bumpers. (False – on floors and
wings)
4. The size of total amount of data collected over the weekend by the car is about half of a
terabyte. (False – about terabyte)
5. The size of live data streams generated by the car while it’s running per lap is about thirty
megabytes. (True)
6. Sensors cannot collect data about driver inputs. (False – sensors collect data about
driver inputs)
7. Trackside Control Systems Engineers aren’t able to see driver’s breaking inputs. (False –
they can see it)
8. Data generated by sensors contains overall car performance. (True)
2. Match words to definitions:
1. Wing - a raised part of the body of a car or other vehicle above the wheel.
2. Embedded - designed and built as an integral part of a system or device.
3. Ancillary - providing necessary support to the primary activities or operation of an
organization, system, etc.
4. Ambient - relating to the immediate surroundings of something.
5. Throttle - a device controlling the flow of fuel or power to an engine.
6. Stream - transmit or receive (data, especially video and audio material) over the internet
as a steady, continuous flow.
7. Rear - the back part of something, especially a building or vehicle.
8. Pit - an area at the side of a track where racing cars are serviced and refuelled.
1–d
2–f
3–a
4–h
5–e
6–g
7–c
8–b
3. Watch TEDTalk “How can Formula 1 racing help ... babies? “ and decide whether the
sentence is true or false.
1. Motor racing is very much attention to detail.
2. They are logging about five thousand different parameters within data systems.
3. Data shown on the screen was unusual normal for a normal child.
4. They don’t store the data.
5. The yellow line is showing an automated version of early warning score.
6. The blue line is an indication of when patterns start to change.
1.T 2.F 3.T 4.F 5.F 6.T
