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Introducing the first challenge of the 2016 F1® Connectivity Innovation Prize
Monaco, May 27, 2016
Monaco – Friday, 27 May, 2016
Tata Communications, Official Connectivity Provider to Formula 1® and the Official Managed Connectivity Supplier of the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One™ Team, is launching the 2016 F1® Connectivity Innovation Prize, and unveiling the first challenge of the competition. The aim of the USD $50,000 prize is to inspire fans worldwide to harness their technical know-how and passion for F1® racing to drive innovation in the sport through two technology challenges. This year’s challenges will focus on how virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR) technologies could be used to make the sport more immersive for fans, and help the teams work more effectively together in the run-up to and during each Grand Prix.
“We want to give as many fans as possible the opportunity to experience first-hand the thrill of a Grand Prix – and VR or AR could enable us to do just that. These technologies represent the next big innovation opportunity for the sport. In the not-too-distant future, they could enable fans to get virtually transported to a Grand Prix.”
– John Morrison, Chief Technical Officer of Formula One Management
The first challenge, set by Formula One Management, calls on technology enthusiasts to develop a solution that uses VR and AR to enable fans at home to experience a Grand Prix virtually. The solution should allow fans who are not at the live event to immerse themselves into the exhilarating world of F1® racing – from the pit lane and the Formula One Paddock Club™, to the drivers’ parade and the starting grid formation. John Morrison, Chief Technical Officer of Formula One Management and one of the judges, says, “We want to give as many fans as possible the opportunity to experience first-hand the thrill of a Grand Prix – and VR or AR could enable us to do just that. These technologies represent the next big innovation opportunity for the sport. In the not-too-distant future, they could enable fans to get virtually transported to a Grand Prix, complementing and enriching the race experience.” “In the last two years, the F1® Connectivity Innovation Prize has grown into a major platform for showcasing the huge potential of data and superfast connectivity in boosting F1® teams’ competitiveness, and in bringing fans closer to the sport,” says Julie Woods-Moss, Tata Communications’ CMO and CEO of its NextGen Business. “We now invite fans from all over the world to share their ideas for how VR and AR could take fan engagement to the next level.” In addition to John Morrison, the jury includes Lewis Hamilton, driver of the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One™ Team; Paddy Lowe, Executive Director (Technical) of the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One™ Team; David Coulthard, former Formula 1® race driver and Channel 4’s F1® racing Lead Expert Analyst and commentator; Martin Brundle, former Formula 1® race driver and F1® commentator for Sky Sports F1® and Mehul Kapadia, Managing Director of F1® Business at Tata Communications. The jury will pick three winners from each challenge of the F1® Connectivity Innovation Prize. The six winners will be awarded trips to the 2016 FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX in October, where the jury will announce the Grand Prize winner. The Grand Prize is a cheque for $50,000 and a bespoke trophy. A full brief for the first F1® Connectivity Innovation Prize challenge can be downloaded from the F1® Connectivity Innovation Prize website. The closing date for the first challenge is 16th June. The second challenge will be set by the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One™ Team in July. Tata Communications is the Official Connectivity Provider of Formula 1®, enabling the sport to seamlessly reach its tens of millions of fans across the globe. Watch a video preview of challenge 1 here. Twitter hashtag: #tatacommsf1prize
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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.
About Tata CommunicationsTata 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 statementsCertain words and statements in this release concerning Tata Communications and its prospects, and other statements, including those relating to Tata Communications’ expected financial position, business strategy, the future development of Tata Communications’ operations, and the general economy in India, are forward-looking statements. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, including financial, regulatory and environmental, as well as those relating to industry growth and trend projections, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of Tata Communications, or industry results, to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from such forward-looking statements include, among others, failure to increase the volume of traffic on Tata Communications’ network; failure to develop new products and services that meet customer demands and generate acceptable margins; failure to successfully complete commercial testing of new technology and information systems to support new products and services, including voice transmission services; failure to stabilize or reduce the rate of price compression on certain of the company’s communications services; failure to integrate strategic acquisitions and changes in government policies or regulations of India and, in particular, changes relating to the administration of Tata Communications’ industry; and, in general, the economic, business and credit conditions in India. Additional factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from such forward-looking statements, many of which are not in Tata Communications’ control, include, but are not limited to, those risk factors discussed in Tata Communications Limited’s Annual Reports. The Annual Reports of Tata Communications Limited are available at www.tatacommunications.com. Tata Communications is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or alter its forward-looking statements. www.tatacommunications.com | @tata_comm © 2017 Tata Communications Ltd. All rights reserved. TATA COMMUNICATIONS and TATA are trademarks of Tata Sons Limited in certain countries. |