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What an amazing racing season this has turned out to be, and to quote Sir Lewis Hamilton, “This is what a world championship battle should look like.” 

With the 2021 car adjustments, new cost regulations, and the resulting Hamilton/Verstappen battle, fans have stayed glued to the races as they watch stellar performance after stellar performance.

The race in Brazil was called one of Hamilton’s best races of all time, and if you missed the race in real time, all you need to do is watch this video of Lap 48 and Lap 59 between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton to see what the excitement was all about.

So how does the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team take win after win? With excellent drivers, amazing teamwork, unparalleled strategies, and a bit of data magic along the way.

From Last to First: The Race in Brazil

With Verstappen’s lead going into Brazil, Hamilton had a lot of ground to cover to stay in the running for the Driver Championship. Hamilton took P1 in qualifying but his rear wing’s DRS aperture caused him a 20-grid place drop. During the sprint, he overtook 15 cars to finish fifth (in just 24 laps) but dropped on the Grand Prix grid to 10th because of his fifth ICE of the season. In an amazing racing battle only seen in F1, he overtook 10 more times during the Sao Paulo Grand Prix to win his 101st victory.

Hamilton started off last and raced to first, overtook 24 cars during the race weekend, and made it through a number of grid drops—all to take home the grand first place prize.

And let’s not forget the battle at Turn 4 on Lap 48, which gained much attention after the race.

Hamilton’s Endurance and Expert Driving

No matter what team you root for, Hamilton is agreed to be one of the best Formula One drivers in history, reigning supreme over his 15-year run. Fans and commentators alike were amazed by his run in Brazil:

David Tremayne of F1 states, “What he did at the wheel was simply outstanding, not the least because he made no mistakes and kept his cool after Max used the oldest trick in the book to fend him off—particularly at Turn 4 on Lap 48. He steered clear of that potential flashpoint, didn’t let it unsettle him, and channeled any anger into what became a successful attack.”

Hamilton adds, “Did I think we could come from last? I don’t know what was possible, but I just gave it everything, and this has definitely been probably one of the best weekends, if not the best weekend, I have experienced in probably my whole career.”

Data-driven Insights Fuel Engine Performance

No competitor makes decisions without the data and expertise to back them up. All Formula One teams rely on expert data partnerships to fuel their competitive advantage—and TIBCO is proud to be a preferred partner of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Team.

Every race, the Team makes adjustments and decisions based on a number of factors, like simulations in the wind tunnel, predictive analytics, digital twins, and more. Every race is different and so Mercedes’ strategy has to stay flexible to meet the demands of each track, driving conditions, and car performance.

Keep in mind, just one week earlier, the Red Bull set up out-paced Mercedes in Mexico. In Brazil, the positions were reversed. Same cars, same drivers. Experts across Formula One have had a great time trying to dissect the exact moves that powered this grand performance:

Giorgio Piola, Formula One Technical Expert, explains, “​​Some combination of the power unit, diffuser stall, rear wing, and chassis balance gave Hamilton a car with which he could unleash the performance, which allowed him to overtake a total of 24 cars over the Sprint and Grand Prix.”

Mark Hughes, Formula One Special Contributor, explains, “With the very high track temperatures seen on Sunday, the challenge for Mercedes would usually be controlling the rear tyre temperatures, an area that often lags behind the Red Bull. But the car was beautifully balanced here and had particularly good traction.”

Straight to the Finish

In addition to winning the Sao Palo Grand Prix, Hamilton took home first at the Qatar race, closing the gap between Verstappen in the Driver’s Championship. Just eight points remain between the pair with two races left: Saudi Arabia and Abu Dabi. With these latest wins from Hamilton, Mercedes is in the lead for the Constructor’s Championship by just five points.

The final races will be close between both teams and drivers, but if Hamilton keeps up his current pace, he is set to take home both championships. 

Your Business Can Do The Same

This level of success isn’t just for Formula One racing. Your business can be an industry leader that outpaces all the competition with the right data strategies that:

• Connect seamlessly with any data source
• Unify data intelligently for better control
• Predict confidently with real-time intelligence 

With TIBCO Connected Intelligence, you can see where your competition is on the track, guess their next moves, and overtake them with data-driven intelligence that helps you conquer your toughest challenges. Whether in retail, manufacturing, financial services, healthcare, and more, your next grid lineup can be a success with the right data backing your strategy, just like Mercedes.

No matter what industry, your next grid lineup can be a success with the right data backing your strategy, just like Mercedes. Click To Tweet

Want to learn more about how the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team uses data to drive success? Check out this case study on how Mercedes manages costs and this case study on simulation strategy in F1. 

To stay up to date with the partnership, stop by our social channels—LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram—on your way to the pit for our final race of the season. Cheers!