McLaren Racing and Automation Anywhere, on Thursday announced a Formula 1 partnership that will integrate artificially intelligent software robots (bots) into the team’s race operations. 

The multi-year technology partnership, beginning at the start of the 2020 Formula 1 season, will deploy Automation Anywhere’s intelligent digital workforce in a competitive motorsport environment. The technology – digital workers that work side-by-side with people to perform repetitive and manual tasks – will help streamline McLaren’s business processes and empower the race operations team to improve efficiencies, reduce errors and speed up decision making.

“We’re delighted to welcome Automation Anywhere into the McLaren Racing family and the world of Formula 1, for the first time,” said Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing. “To perform in this sport, we need to be at the forefront of technological advancements and empower our people to apply their thought and focus to chasing marginal gains on track. Automation Anywhere’s sophisticated technology will help us do this, and we’re looking forward to working together in the coming seasons.”

“McLaren Racing operates in a competitive environment dominated by fine margins, where seconds can have a major impact,” said Riadh Dridi, Chief Marketing Officer, Automation Anywhere. “We are excited to help McLaren make faster decisions by automating processes across the team’s race operations.” 

As part of the partnership, Automation Anywhere’s brand will be represented on the MCL35 race car, the race suits of the team’s race drivers, Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz, and on race operation equipment.

McLaren Racing was founded by New Zealand racing driver Bruce McLaren in 1963. The team entered its first Formula 1 race in 1966, since when McLaren has won 20 Formula 1 world championships.