Lewis Hamilton fronts big data race

Big data may still have its detractors within the direct marketing industry but Formula 1 bosses are in no doubt about its potential and have kicked off a contest to find “new and insightful” information from live data feeds.
Spearheaded by F1 champion Lewis Hamilton, racing communications provider Tata Communications has unveiled the first in a series of challenges in its F1 Connectivity Innovation Prize, with a focus on big data and analytics.
Ahead of the 2014 British Grand Prix at Silverstone on Sunday 6 July, Tata has invited entrants to exploit the information to provide “suspense and excitement” for audiences.
Contestants will be free to apply analytics creatively in defining what data they use and how it is visualised.
Solutions could, for example, take the form of a TV graphic for broadcasters, a data page for F1 teams or guests of the Formula One Paddock Club, or new elements for the F1 website or smartphone app.
Formula One Management CTO John Morrison said: “It is undoubtedly the case that a wealth of predictive information about proposed race strategy and current car performance can be derived from the session timing information.
“We are looking for a mechanism to choose specific parameters, produce the calculations and display this information in an exciting and innovative way. Obviously a mechanism to continuously update this information as the race weekend unfolds is a major part of the challenge.”
Entrants will be judged on how well they apply their skills to enhance audience entertainment and insight into F1 by a panel that includes Morrison, Hamilton and Tata Communications F1 managing director Mehul Kapadia.
Hamilton said he would be looking for solutions with additional analysis and new information to complement the data screens used by drivers during live track sessions.
Tata’s contest will run over three rounds, with two further challenges to be set later in the year, coinciding with the Italian and US rounds of the F1 championship. A top prize of $50,000 is up for grabs.