F1 accelerates into advanced networking

The 2021 Formula 1 racing season may have descended into confusion at its exciting concluding Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi, but as far as the networking industry is concerned, there are open roads of opportunity ahead, as exemplified by Juniper Networks and Airbus on the eve of this year’s F1 finale.

Artificial intelligence (AI)-driven networks supplier Juniper announced that it has been chosen by the Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team to become its official networking equipment vendor, while Airbus revealed that it had extended its support to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix this year as F1’s official secure communications technology provider in the emirate for the 5.281km Yas Marina Circuit on Yas Island.

The technical arm of the aerospace giant has deployed its range of Tetra and LTE systems to help secure the race site and keep the racers and spectators safe. Airbus’s TH9, TH1n radio console system and Tactilon Agnet have been used by security organisations to collaborate throughout the Grand Prix operations. All were said to have been equipped with modern and reliable features to enable fast and secure coordination between users.

The TH9 Tetra radio, a preferred device among first responders, is designed to deliver audio and video capability that lets users operate the device even without looking, while the Tactilon Agnet provides professional smartphone users with reliable access to voice, video, multimedia, files and location data. It also enables instant sharing of information among a defined group of people at the push of a button. Its user interface is designed to save vital seconds, especially during emergencies.

“At Airbus, we recognise the significance of a well-designed and effective plan to safeguard major events,” said Selim Bouri, head of Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific for Airbus Secure Land Communications. “Communication and collaboration play a vital role in the success of any strategy, and this is where our mission-critical radio network solutions come in. Our technologies are specifically designed to support the communication needs of various events and sectors.

“We are honoured that our solutions played an important part in the successful hosting of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2021. This prestigious auto racing event enables us to showcase our business commitment to deliver secure mission-critical communications to Abu Dhabi and the UAE.”

As part of its partnership with the Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team, Juniper will supply what it described as an “agile and highly automated network platform across the racing team’s new technology campus, currently due for completion in early 2023”.

It added: “The team said the decision to form the partnership was straightforward: with increased emphasis on secure networking to underpin any modern business, the organisation was keen to work with a supplier that understood the benefits of secure, cloud-based wired and wireless networking solutions that can withstand the sophisticated, data-intensive requirements of a Formula One team operating across multiple continents.”

Juniper Networks’ branding first appeared on the AMR21, on the car’s halo, at this weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

“We are delighted to be able to announce this new partnership with Juniper Networks,” said Jefferson Slack, managing director, commercial and marketing, Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team. “A Formula One team’s secure networking needs are extensive: we need the ultimate in performance, flexibility and intelligence – all delivered with zero compromise. And that is as applicable to our trackside operations, which demand immediate, fault intolerant response, as it is to our factory networking requirements, which need to be robust yet fully scalable. Juniper’s adaptive and automated solutions are the perfect fit for our new smart factory build.”

Mike Marcellin, SVP and chief marketing officer at Juniper Networks, added: “The values that power our two organisations are truly aligned and I am excited about the possibilities that lie ahead – for example, working together on a range of sustainability projects that are equally relevant in their world and ours.

“Like virtually every organisation today, the Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team is reliant on its network and therefore expects a consistently superior user experience for every employee, including engineers, drivers, technicians, race strategists and administrators. Juniper looks forward to delivering an industry-leading networking portfolio to the team as it continues its ambitious expansion and development programme.”