The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship began in 2014 with its inaugural race in Beijing’s Olympic Park. At that time, all-electric motorsport was largely experimental, with battery limitations requiring drivers to switch cars mid-race. Over a decade, Formula E has grown into a global entertainment brand, broadcast in 150 countries, and has become a catalyst for technological advancement and cultural shifts within sports.
Future generations of Formula E cars, such as Gen4, are expected to showcase impressive speeds, potentially surpassing traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. This rapid development highlights the significant progress in electric vehicle technology.
Beyond the track, Formula E is undergoing a digital transformation, in partnership with Infosys, to redefine the fan experience. This initiative aims to make motorsport more accessible and engaging for new generations. AI-powered platforms are being utilized to create dynamic fan experiences, offering real-time leaderboards, predictive tools, and personalized storylines. These narratives can adapt to individual fan interests, such as driver rivalries or battery performance, thereby elevating the overall experience and fostering greater inclusivity in the sport.
Artificial intelligence is also revolutionizing Formula E’s internal operations. Previously, technology adoption often required significant internal persuasion. Now, AI tools have reversed this trend, with teams actively seeking out and embracing new technological solutions, driving broader tech adoption across the organization.
Formula E exemplifies sustainable innovation. Machine learning helps optimize battery shipping to minimize carbon impact, while remote broadcast production has significantly cut travel emissions. These digital advancements demonstrate how technology can expand reach while reducing environmental footprints. The integration of sport, sustainability, and technology positions Formula E as a model for entertainment, innovation, and environmental responsibility.
The ambition is for Formula E to be the most digital and sustainable motorsport globally, with AI making the electric future more engaging.
Evolution of Electric Racing
Since its inception, Formula E has seen remarkable advancements in car technology. The initial seasons (Gen1) required drivers to switch cars mid-race due to limited battery capacity. By Gen2, four years later, batteries were sufficient for full races, enhancing the sport’s competitive nature. Gen3 focused on increasing speeds, and the upcoming Gen4 cars are anticipated to achieve acceleration comparable to, or even exceeding, Formula One vehicles, challenging perceptions of EV performance.
Fan demographics have also evolved significantly. The sport now attracts a younger, more gender-diverse audience, with nearly equal representation. These fans expect personalized experiences and demand tailored content, moving beyond a one-size-fits-all broadcast. The challenge lies in adapting to these rapidly changing individual preferences, ensuring that each fan feels a deeper connection to the sport, its athletes, and the underlying technology.
Infosys Partnership and Strategic Goals
Infosys views its partnership with Formula E as an investment in the future of electric, sustainable, and digital-first sports. The strategic plan focuses on three key objectives:
- Fan Base Growth: Aiming for 500 million fans by 2030, the goal is to make motorsport accessible and exciting for a new generation through AI-powered platforms that deliver personalized content. This ensures each fan receives tailored insights, whether about a favorite driver or sustainability efforts.
- Technological Innovation: Initiatives like the Stats Centre transform race data into interactive stories. The upcoming Race Centre will further enhance engagement with real-time leaderboards, track maps, overtake timelines, and AI-generated live commentary, allowing fans to interact, predict outcomes, and share views globally.
- Sustainability Support: While Formula E is already net-zero, the partnership aims to reduce carbon emissions by 45% by 2030. This is achieved through AI-driven sustainability data management, tracking energy usage and logistics decisions, and modeling scenarios for greener racing.
This collaboration allows Infosys to shape the digital future of a young sport, demonstrating how technology can make racing both thrilling and environmentally responsible.
Managing Motorsport Complexity with Data
Motorsport presents unique complexities for fan engagement, as interests extend beyond mere race outcomes to include team strategies, driver rivalries, car technology, and, for Formula E, sustainability and electric innovation. This multifaceted interest underscores the importance of personalization.
The sheer volume of race data—lap times, energy usage, battery performance, attack mode activations, and pit strategies—can be overwhelming. Through platforms like Infosys Topaz, this raw data is transformed into engaging narratives. Fans can follow a driver’s comeback or a team’s energy management strategy. The Race Centre will offer explainer videos and interactive tools to help new fans understand the sport’s rules, strategies, and technology, making Formula E more inclusive and accessible.
Diverse Applications of AI in Formula E
Formula E integrates AI across three primary domains:
- Within the Sport: AI is fundamental to the competitive landscape, utilized by individual teams and the championship itself.
- Fan-Facing Products: In collaboration with Infosys, AI enhances fan engagement through personalized content and interactive platforms.
- Broadcast Production: AI transforms broadcasting capabilities. For instance, it can convert standard camera footage into “super slow-mo” by interpolating between two frames, making this high-quality effect more accessible. AI also facilitates real-time on-screen display of driver-engineer communications, a task that would be impractical to manage manually.
Furthermore, AI is crucial for business operations, particularly in managing carbon impact. AI tools analyze complex logistics, such as determining the most carbon-efficient method for transporting batteries—whether by air, sea, or road—considering factors like material composition and overall emissions. This allows for rapid, informed decisions that would be too complex for human analysis alone.
Navigating AI Challenges
The rise of AI introduces significant challenges. One is the impact on traditional search engine optimization (SEO). With rapidly evolving foundational AI models, ensuring that Formula E’s fast-changing content is accurately indexed and displayed requires a focus on high-quality, first-party content. Another major concern is cybersecurity. The accessibility of advanced AI tools also benefits malicious actors, leading to an increase in the frequency and severity of cyberattacks. Formula E must balance innovation with robust security measures, a difficult task for any dynamic organization.
Infosys supports Formula E in addressing these challenges by simplifying complex race data into engaging fan experiences via platforms like the Stats Centre, establishing a secure and scalable cloud data infrastructure for real-time insights, and advancing sustainability goals through AI-driven carbon tracking and predictive analytics. These solutions contribute to a more interactive, digital, and responsible sport.
The Future of Motorsport
Looking ahead, Formula E anticipates an exciting season with its Gen3 cars and a strong lineup of teams. The focus remains on rapid technological innovation to meet fan demands, with the upcoming Gen4 car, launching in 2026 for Season 13, expected to be a significant advancement in electric motorsport and EV perception.
Key innovations on the horizon include the continued development of the AI-powered fan data platform and the imminent launch of the Race Centre, which promises to revolutionize the live racing experience. Additionally, Infosys continues to assist Formula E in its sustainability leadership through AI tools that model carbon impact and optimize logistics, ensuring each race is smarter and greener. The overarching vision is to establish Formula E as the world’s most digital and sustainable motorsport, where an electric future is made even more engaging through AI.
