April 19, 2024 – After a wait of five years and 1832 days, the highly anticipated 2024 FORMULA 1 Lenovo Chinese Grand Prix officially kicked off at the Shanghai International Circuit. This not only marks the splendid return of the F1 Chinese Grand Prix but also celebrates the important moment of its 20th anniversary. As the official technology partner of F1, Lenovo Group, with its outstanding technological prowess and stable products and services, provides crucial technical support for this top-tier sporting event that captures global attention.
From competition to experience, escorting top-tier events
Formula 1 races showcase the perfect blend of speed and technology. It's not just an arena for extreme velocity but also a testing ground for cutting-edge technology. As one of the world's most technologically advanced and data-driven sports, the operation of F1 events is akin to a massive and intricate engineering project where every step must be precise. The event brings together over 300 team members, more than 93 cameras capture the thrilling moments of the race, and 147 specialized microphones deliver an immersive stereo experience for the audience. According to statistics, the overall live broadcast duration of the F1 season reaches 400 hours, supplemented by over 200 hours of post-production content, all of which are distributed to media outlets across over 180 countries and regions worldwide.
In this high-speed battle of wit, every aspect demands top-notch technological support, from weather monitoring and track data collection to seamless transmission of high-definition video broadcasts. Since the 2022 season, Lenovo Group has officially become the official technology partner of Formula 1, continuously providing comprehensive technical support. Lenovo's intelligent terminals, including high-performance laptops, desktops, and tablets, ensure efficient operations for event staff and stable race management. Especially in data management, Lenovo's edge servers harness their powerful GPU intelligence to swiftly and accurately collect racecar data, establishing a stable and efficient computing foundation.
Furthermore, with F1 hosting 24 races globally throughout the year, the schedule is incredibly tight, sometimes with intervals of less than a week between races. The entire set of equipment, including hardware and servers, needs to be air-freighted from one venue to the next, posing high demands on flexibility, portability, and cold-resistance during transit. Lenovo's range of devices meets F1's requirements excellently, creating a "mobile-ready infrastructure" that can fly globally with ease. Lenovo also provides diverse professional support services for F1 events, from constructing digitized office spaces to asset recycling services. Lenovo's technical team works closely with F1 engineers, ensuring seamless technical operations throughout the entire season.
To provide audiences with a clearer and more immersive viewing experience, Lenovo's high-performance workstations support complex tasks such as CAD design, graphics creation, and editing, making real-time modeling broadcasts of F1 races faster and more efficient. At the same time, to allow audiences to experience the speed and excitement of F1 races from all angles and dimensions, Lenovo has specially developed mini-games based on the ThinkReality VRX headset, allowing players to experience the thrill of driving an F1 car in a virtual environment and truly become a part of the "F1 world."
From the Olympic stage to the F1 track, connecting the globe through technological innovation
Lenovo Group is deeply involved in major global sports events. In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Lenovo Group, as a top sponsor and the first Chinese brand to become a global partner of the Olympics, integrated platforms, technology, and products into the entire Olympics, providing 30,000 computer devices and 580 technical personnel.
Starting from the Beijing Olympics, Lenovo truly embarked on internationalization, opening a new chapter for Chinese brands to shine on the international stage. Currently, Lenovo provides products and services to 180 markets worldwide and has rich experience in global operations and management. Over the past 17 years, Lenovo has continuously deepened its support for major international events and large-scale sports events worldwide, from the Shanghai World Expo to the Beijing Winter Olympics, and from the Chengdu Universiade to the Hangzhou Asian Games. Lenovo has maintained an impressive record of "zero failures" in the operation and maintenance of major international events with its leading technological strength.
Lenovo's global footprint and connectivity lay a solid foundation for its collaboration with F1. Since the 2022 season, Lenovo has deeply integrated its efficient, stable, and reliable products, solutions, and services into the operational systems of F1, supporting the intense competition of 24 global stations across 40 weeks, providing the highest level of racing entertainment experience to over 700 million fans worldwide.
By providing robust technical support to F1, Lenovo not only injects powerful innovation into this international event but also leverages this global arena to promote its brand strength and technological innovation to the international stage. The partnership between Lenovo and F1 is not just about the perfect combination of technology and speed but also the deep integration of both brands' charm, shared values, and cultural ideals. Lenovo's relentless pursuit of excellence and courage to challenge limits resonate with the passion, speed, and spirit of dreams represented by F1 racing, coinciding in a joint pursuit of ultimate performance and exploring limitless possibilities.
Lenovo Chairman and CEO, Yang Yuanqing, stated, "The collaboration between Lenovo and F1 is a prime example of the fusion between technology and sports. We are honored to become the official technology partner of F1, providing more advanced and intelligent solutions to help F1 present a more exciting racing feast for global fans."
F1 Chairman and CEO, Stefano Domenicali, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, saying, "We are delighted that F1 can celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Chinese Grand Prix with Lenovo. Lenovo's comprehensive technical support for F1 not only promotes the deep integration of technology and motorsport but also demonstrates its firm commitment to diversity and inclusivity."
