Latest news with #MercedesAMGPetronas
Hamilton Spectator
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Hamilton Spectator
Charlotte County meets Formula 1: one engineer's journey to the pinnacle of motorsport
It was a victory at the Montreal Grand Prix for Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 team driver George Russell and a podium for rookie Kimi Antonelli, but it was also a win for Charlotte County's Grace Lloyd. She discovered machine learning – using data and artificial intelligence to improve computer performance – during her undergraduate degree at the University of Toronto and fell in love with it. It's a journey that would eventually lead her to the pinnacle of motorsport – Formula 1. Lloyd lives in Northampton, United Kingdom. At first, she said in an interview with The Courier, she dabbled with the solar race team – her first brush with motorsport. 'I really enjoyed it but as my time at school was coming to an end, I didn't really see a way I could continue in motorsport and keep doing data work,' she said. 'I vaguely knew of F1 and other motorsport series, but I had assumed that jobs in those teams were way more mechanically focused than I could ever hope to be.' Lloyd said during the COVID-19 pandemic, she discovered Netflix's Drive to Survive – a documentary-style show that follows the various teams and drivers across the world throughout the Formula 1 season. 'I wasn't with them at the time but when I came home during the summer of 2020, [my family was] watching the races on Sundays,' she said. 'Once I started watching [it] with them, I became hooked on the sport as a whole but I was really fascinated with the technical side and for the first time I thought 'maybe I can work in F1.' ' Lloyd went on to a masters degree in data science and machine learning at Cardiff University in the UK. 'I joined their formula student team to get more experience and eventually applied and got the job I have now at Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team,' she said. On the weekends, fans from across the world gather in the grandstands and teams prepare to fight to be the fastest on track, but work is always underway behind the seasons. Lloyd is one of the people who works diligently so Mercedes Petronas Formula 1 drivers George Russell and rookie Kimi Antonelli can fight for wins against the top teams. 'A few times a season, I do get the opportunity to spend the weekend at the Brackley factory in the race support room helping monitor things,' she said. 'Ahead of those weekends you're still trying to do your regular job, but if the race is in a much different time zone you have to shift yourself onto the track time zone, which can be anywhere from just showing up a bit later to work to completely flipping your schedule for races like Melbourne.' Her work, which happens mainly during the weekdays, kicks into higher gear following the race weekends. 'My work mostly starts once the weekend ends, and we get new data from the car,' she said. 'I spend time looking at the data and understanding what happened over the weekend and how it might affect the data I use.' There is a constant pursuit of better performance, she explained. 'We engineers are constantly trying to innovate to bring better lap time to the car. There is always something new to try or learn,' she said. Lloyd said no one works in isolation and every day she is learning new things at every opportunity, with valuable insights coming from the people she works with. The sport is entering a new era of technical regulations – according to the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) there will be a reduction in the car size and weight, revised aerodynamics. The teams will remove the 'ground effect' on the cars, returning to a flat underside. Changes are also coming to the power units and the removal of the drag reduction system, to be replaced by active aerodynamics. Lloyd finds the technical regulations an interesting part of her job. 'We have such a big book of technical rules we have to follow, but this adds to the fun of the job,' she said. 'It's a lot of how to design within the rules or how to find interesting loopholes. Next year is a big regulation change so it's a very busy time for all teams on the grid but its also a very exciting time to be in the sport.' Her first win with the team was Las Vegas 2024, a one-two finish for the team. 'We always celebrate wins together at the factory on the Monday after a Grand Prix and your first win is always special,' she said. She said it has truly been a dream come true to join the team. 'There's a real sense of passion and teamwork that runs through everything we do, and it's something you can feel just walking through the factory,' she said. Working at the team, she explained, is good both physically and mentally. 'There is a lot of emphasis placed on wellbeing because we view it as you can't be your best if you aren't feeling your best,' she said. Lloyd speaks to young women in STEM as part of the team's outreach efforts. 'It's something I'm really proud to be involved in,' she said. 'Representation matters, and I hope that by sharing my journey, I can help inspire the next generation of girls to see themselves in motorsport.' She has felt inspired and welcomed from the first day on the job, saying there has been a sense of passion and teamwork that runs through the heartbeat of the team. She feels privileged to be part of the team always chasing the thrill of getting the checkered flag first. 'Formula 1 is such a dynamic and evolving sport—it's not just about the racing, it's about innovation, resilience, and pushing boundaries,' she said. Lloyd said there is something for everyone in Formula 1. 'You might be surprised by how quickly you get hooked,' she said. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . 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Newsweek
10-06-2025
- Automotive
- Newsweek
Imola F1 Circuit Releases Statement After 2026 Calendar Exit
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. With the growing global demand to host Formula One races, the sport decided to drop Italy's iconic Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix at Imola from the 2026 calendar to make way for Madrid. With the number of Grands Prix in a year capped at 24, F1 faces a challenging task to retain historic circuits while introducing new venues from across the world. While a plan for rotational circuits is on the cards, the absence of Imola from the 2026 calendar raised eyebrows. Now, Imola Mayor Marco Panieri has issued a statement, revealing that the announcement was not a surprise, and hopes that the circuit will be included in the calendar in the future. He said: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (1) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB21 leads Oscar Piastri of Australia driving the (81) McLaren MCL39 Mercedes George Russell of Great Britain driving the (63) Mercedes AMG Petronas... Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (1) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB21 leads Oscar Piastri of Australia driving the (81) McLaren MCL39 Mercedes George Russell of Great Britain driving the (63) Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team W16 Lando Norris of Great Britain driving the (4) McLaren MCL39 Mercedes and the rest of the field on the opening lap during the F1 Grand Prix of Emilia-Romagna at Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari on May 18, 2025 in Imola, Italy. More"The provisional calendar of the Formula 1 Grand Prix for the 2026 season has been announced, from which Imola is excluded. "This is news that we were aware of and that understandably generates questions, disappointment and a sense of bitterness on the outside, because in recent years our territory has proven to be able to host an extraordinary event with record numbers. "In fact, the Grand Prix in Imola was one of the most loved and appreciated by fans and drivers, as was also forcefully demonstrated in the days following the event, and its uniqueness in the world was evident: that of uniting the race on the track with the surrounding territory, starting from a historic center to be experienced. "However, we want to be very clear: this news is by no means the final word. For the Region and the territory, the path undertaken by Imola and the Gran Premio del Made in Italy e dell'Emilia-Romagna does not end here. "We are and were aware of the complexity of the dynamics linked to the calendar and the picture was very complicated from the beginning. The contract signed in 2021 – which few believed possible at the time – envisaged the stable return of the Gran Premio to Imola until 2025. "As the Emilia-Romagna Region and the Municipality of Imola, among the promoting partners, we have truly done everything that could be done in this phase." The statement also confirmed that funds were allotted for the 2026 season to make up for the Grand Prix in 2023 that was cancelled due to floods. The mayor added: "Furthermore, the territory, as the Emilia-Romagna Region and as the Municipality of Imola / Consorzio territoriale had confirmed its availability for over a year and allocated the necessary resources in the budget also for 2026, as had been requested by the other institutional and sporting partners after the commitment made to recover next year the missed 2023 edition due to the dramatic flood events. "This territory, when it makes a commitment, is used to respecting it and being ready when needed: as in 2020, when, in a world blocked by COVID, the Imola circuit made itself available to help a Formula 1 in difficulty. "However, this is not the time for controversy, buck-passing and resignation. Now is the time for everyone to take responsibility and resume discussions for a return to the calendar. This is why in recent days, since May 26, we have asked the Government and the sports authority for an Institutional Round Table to precisely examine the terms and methods of support and joint work to bring the Formula 1 Grand Prix back to Imola. "To those who live and love Imola, Emilia-Romagna and this Grand Prix, we say that in a moment in which it would be easy to give in to useless polemics and disappointment, it is instead the time for tenacity and increasingly constructive commitment from everyone. The game does not end here and up until now we have done things that only a few years ago seemed impossible. "We continue to believe in it, with conviction and clarity, with the pride of a territory that, together with other institutional partners, has demonstrated its ability to dream big and concretely build opportunities." It remains to be seen if Imola will find a spot on the F1 calendar in 2027.
