AI is becoming a bigger part of Formula One, but the sport is not handing the steering wheel to machines just yet. Aston Martin’s first Technology Forum showed just how deeply AI and data now run through modern F1 (via Android Police). From race strategy to equipment analysis, teams are using technology to process huge amounts of information before and during a Grand Prix weekend.
One example came from NetApp’s Tara Mulcahy, who said Aston Martin processes about 50 petabytes of data on race day. That gives AI a huge amount to work with, especially when teams need to understand patterns, predict outcomes, and make quick decisions under pressure.
Race strategy is one of the clearest places fans may notice AI at work. Aston Martin Chief Information Officer Fabrizio Pilotti said unusual pit strategies or unexpected calls during a race can sometimes point to AI being used behind the scenes.
Pilotti pointed to Lewis Hamilton’s June 14 win in Barcelona as an example of a strategy that looked like it came from AI. The approach appeared unfavourable at first, but ended up helping Hamilton win by a strong margin.
That does not mean AI is making every call alone. Pilotti also made it clear that unusual strategies can fail too, which is why teams still need humans to question, check and decide what actually happens on track.
Aston Martin Technology Ambassador Eric Ernst summed it up saying, “We can outsource intelligence, but we can’t outsource experience.” That may be the most important point in the whole discussion.
Even inside Aston Martin’s Mission Control, people remain central. Volunteers still listen to rival team radio messages, decide what matters, and pass useful information to the right people as well.
The same applies in the pit lane. Even with smarter tools and machine learning built into equipment, sub-two-second pit stops still depend on the skill and timing of the crew using them.
Formula One has always been a technology race as much as a driving one. AI is now part of that race, but for now, the smartest teams are not replacing people. They are using AI to give those people better information.