Avanade to help F1 team pull off 'perfect pit stop'

Microsoft partner is aiming to improve the performance of Williams Martini Racing's pit crew using biometric technology

Microsoft partner Avanade is aiming to help a Formula One team understand the physiology behind "the perfect pit stop" using Azure and other Microsoft technology.

Williams Martini Racing called in Avanade at the start of the 2016 season to capture and evaluate a range of biometric data for key members of its pit crew.

Williams recorded the fastest pit stop of the 2016 season at 1.92 seconds, and the work with Avanade should help it remain "the pit stop pacesetter in 2017", according to the two firms.

The biometric data studied includes heart rate, breathing rate, temperature and peak acceleration.

Avanade said it will capture real-time data from individual team members and upload it to a database powered by Microsoft Azure, before processing the data using Microsoft Power BI data visualisation technology and displaying it on its own biometrics dashboard.

The aim is to gain insight into the areas that need improvement to achieve consistently fast pit stops and inform the crew's fitness training objectives. Data gleaned from the bio-harnesses "will provide insight into the physiology behind 'the perfect pit stop'," Avanade claimed.

Avanade, a joint venture between Microsoft and Accenture launched in 2000, said it has been working with Williams since January 2015, and helped build the team's new website ahead of the 2016 season.

"We are excited that by using Microsoft technology to capture and analyse biometric data, Williams Martini Racing will be able to further optimise its pit stops in 2017," said Darren Hardman, general manager, Avanade UK.

"By gaining a deep understanding of the complex elements involved in an F1 pit stop, the team will be able to boost individual performance to achieve an important competitive milestone."