Tata Communications launches The F1® Connectivity Innovation Prize to harness global brainpower

New global platform sees Tata Communications join forces with Formula One Management, the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One™ Team and Martin Brundle to foster and reward connectivity innovation and creative thinking with a USD $50,000 bounty

London, June 10, 2014

London – June 10th 2014 – Tata Communications, a leading provider of A New World of Communications™ today unveils the F1® Connectivity Innovation Prize1 – a global platform that will engage international brainpower against the demanding backdrop of Formula 1® racing. By assembling an unprecedented calibre of Formula 1® judges and a coveted USD $50,000 prize fund, the prize will foster and reward innovative and creative thinking in connectivity.

A distinguished panel of judges is comprised of 2008 FIA Formula One™ Drivers’ World Champion and MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One™ Team driver, Lewis Hamilton, Lewis’ 2014 World Championship-leading team Executive Director (Technical), Paddy Lowe; Formula One Management’s Chief Technical Officer, John Morrison; Tata Communications’ Managing Director of F1® Business, Mehul Kapadia and former F1® driver and Sky Sports F1® expert commentator, Martin Brundle.

The MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One™ Team’s Lewis Hamilton said, “Technology is absolutely key to success in Formula 1® racing and we are lucky to attract some of the best engineers and technical brains to work in our sport. The challenges that have been set for the F1® Connectivity Innovation Prize look fascinating and I hope, will attract a huge response. For anyone with technology aspirations and a desire to get involved in the world of Formula 1® racing, this is a great opportunity.”

The prize will catalyse next-generation technologies based around a series of three challenges announced over the course of the 2014 FIA Formula One World Championship™. The initiative will encourage entrants to test their creative and technical knowledge by expressing how they would solve real-world challenges for Formula 1® racing. Additional prizes will include VIP trips to the 2015 FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX DE MONACO.

John Morrison, Formula One Management’s Chief Technical Officer said at the launch of the Tata Communications F1® Connectivity Innovation Prize, “Technology has always been a hallmark of Formula 1®, so this opportunity to open some of our innovations to the world brightest minds is an exciting initiative from Tata Communications. The resultant ideas should present engaging new features that the talented Formula 1® engineering team can rapidly develop to enhance the F1® fan experience.”

The three challenges will be announced exclusively on Tata Communications’ F1® Connectivity Innovation Prize website, starting with a design evolution of the sport’s display of live data provided by Formula One Management. This will be announced in the lead-up to the 2014 FORMULA 1 SANTANDER BRITISH GRAND PRIX. Challenge two will be announced before the FORMULA 1 GRAN PREMIO D’ITALIA 2014 with the third and final challenge announced on the eve of the 2014 FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX.

Julie Woods-Moss, Chief Marketing Officer and CEO of Nextgen at Tata Communications, says, “Driving innovation is at the heart of our business and the F1® Connectivity Innovation Prize is one of the latest initiatives that we are bringing to the world of Formula 1®. In our third year with the sport, this new global platform will allow us, together with Formula One Management and MERCEDES AMG PERTONAS to connect with the creative thinkers across the world to push the boundaries of technology and design innovation in this fast-paced sport.”

Tata Communications is a Technology Supplier of Formula 1® and provides Formula One Management with world-class connectivity to all 19 Formula 1® race locations over its global network, the largest in the world. It also provides hosting and content delivery services to Formula1.com, which is accessed by tens of millions of fans around the globe. The innovative partnership positions Tata Communications corporately as a Technology Supplier of Formula 1® with category exclusive designations as Official Connectivity Provider of Formula 1® and Official Web Hosting and Content Delivery Network Provider of Formula1.com.

As the Official Managed Connectivity Supplier for MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One™ Team, Tata Communications also supports the data transmission over its global networks to keep Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg at the leading edge of the championship.

Follow the Tata Communications F1® Connectivity Innovation Prize panel on Twitter:

Formula 1® Connectivity Innovation Prize @tata_comm
Lewis Hamilton @LewisHamilton
Martin Brundle @MBrundleF1
MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS @MercedesAMGF1
Mehul Kapadia @mehulkapadia

 


1 No purchase necessary. Official Rules identifying (i) who is eligible to participate; (ii) how to participate, (iii) how winners will be selected, and (iv) a description of the prizes available will be posted at www.tatacommunications.com/f1prize 

 

Ends…

 

Tata Communications was the Official Connectivity Provider of Formula 1® between 2012 and 2019. Tata Communications was also the Official Managed Connectivity Supplier to Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport, and Official Digital Transformation Partner to ROKiT Williams Racing until the end of the 2019 season.

 


 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PRESS RELEASE

Natalie Chak
Tata Communications
+44 (0)7833 043 779
natalie.chak@tatacommunications.com
Neil Thomas
Hill & Knowlton Strategies
+44 207 413 3454
neil.thomas@hkstrategies.com

About Tata Communications

Tata Communications Limited (CIN no: L64200MH1986PLC039266) along with its subsidiaries (Tata Communications) is a leading global provider of A New World of Communications™. With a leadership position in emerging markets, Tata Communications leverages its advanced solutions capabilities and domain expertise across its global and pan-India network to deliver managed solutions to multi-national enterprises, service providers and Indian consumers.

The Tata Communications global network includes one of the most advanced and largest submarine cable networks and a Tier-1 IP network with connectivity to over 240 countries and territories across 400 PoPs, as well as nearly 1 million square feet of data centre and collocation space worldwide.

Tata Communications’ depth and breadth of reach in emerging markets includes leadership in Indian enterprise data services and leadership in global international voice. Tata Communications Limited is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange of India.

https://www.tatacommunications.com

Forward-looking and cautionary statements

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