LONDON, UK, Jan 18, 2023 – McLaren Applied has joined forces with E1 to provide telemetry and data viewing software to the engineers running the electric RaceBird boats in the UIM E1 World Championship.
The data analysis tools – which include ATLAS, System Monitor, and McLaren Control Toolbox – supplied by McLaren Applied will allow the engineers from E1 and SeaBird Technologies to view and analyze live and recorded data from the raceboats.
7th April 2022. San Nazzaro. Italy.
Pictures of the E1 Race Series ‘RaceBird’ RB01. The foiling electric race boat shown here testing for the first time.
Photo by Lloyd Images
The data viewing software from McLaren Applied will also be made available to all the teams competing in the championship.
The E1 teams will utilize the data viewing software at test sessions and race events to analyze the performance of the RaceBird boat. The software will be used alongside a configuration tool which allows teams to alter the set-up of the Vehicle Control Unit (VCU) also supplied by McLaren Applied, giving teams influence over elements of the boat control, such as throttle mapping.
McLaren Applied has driven innovation in Formula 1 and global top-level motorsport series for over three decades, which has led to engineering solutions being adapted and deployed across other industries, including automotive and transport.
The partnership with E1 will see McLaren Applied expand its portfolio into the marine sector as Official Data Viewing Software Supplier for the championship.
Rodi Basso, co-founder & CEO of E1, said: “I’m happy to bring McLaren Applied on board as Official Data Viewing Software Supplier at E1. Having worked as Motorsport Business Director at McLaren Applied in the past, I know the tools and software they provide will be to the highest standard and will offer teams valuable insight. The data will not only be used to extract the maximum performance and monitor safety, but it will also be used to show real-time information to fans trackside or watching at home. I think data and certain touchpoints can play a role in making sports more accessible to viewers and actually add to the overall entertainment value.”
Josh Wesley, head of engineering at SeaBird Technologies, commented: “From an engineering perspective, it’s important that we can access and view data in real-time coming from the boats. With more testing planned in the coming months, we will rely on using this type of powerful software to record data and review it immediately after each run. We will use the learnings from this analysis to fine-tune the performance of the RaceBird prototype ready to hand it over to the teams.”
Richard Saxby, director, Motorsport at McLaren Applied, said: “We are extremely excited to be working with E1 and SeaBird Technologies on this ground-breaking new championship, using our technology in a new racing series dedicated to bringing electrification to the marine market. The McLaren Applied ATLAS data viewer and McLaren Control Toolbox have been used in top-level motorsport for many years, allowing teams to derive winning margins through the accurate visualization of time-sensitive data and we are delighted to see the benefits of this software being used in the E1 Series for a new application in marine.”
To learn more about E1, visit www.e1series.com.
About the UIM E1 World Championship
E1 is the world’s first and only all-electric raceboat championship sanctioned by the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM), which is the international governing body for all powerboating activities. The UIM E1 World Championship was established to create a new, exciting and competitive on-water racing platform based on electric technologies to protect and restore our urban waters and coastal areas.
The championship will see up to 10 teams and 20 pilots racing on the water in iconic cities around the world. The E1 pilots will navigate tight and technical circuits behind the wheel of the electric RaceBird vessel co-designed by SeaBird Technologies and Victory Marine.
Series organizers are continuing to accelerate preparations ahead of the inaugural season, scheduled to commence in 2023. Over the coming months, E1 will focus on finalizing details with prospective host cities and teams, as well as working with the expert engineers at Victory Marine to build a full fleet of electric raceboats.
About McLaren Applied
For over three decades, McLaren Applied has continued to set new standards in high-performance motorsport solutions for Formula 1 and other prestigious series. Its team of experts are dedicated to developing innovative solutions and pioneering software to deliver quantifiable performance advantage for teams and drivers. By applying the technical expertise and dynamic mindset of motorsport, it goes a step further, engineering solutions specifically for other sectors to solve some of today’s biggest challenges.
Formerly part of McLaren Group, McLaren Applied was acquired by Greybull Capital, an entrepreneurial investment group, in August 2021. Greybull’s investment is helping it realize its significant potential in motorsports and accelerating development of growth activities across other industries, giving it the strength, flexibility and never-ending desire to push the boundaries of engineering.
In parallel with a relentless pursuit of performance, McLaren Applied is aware of the importance of sustainability and recognizes the global challenges ahead. It pledges to exhibit no fear in the face of applying its sustainability agenda and will continuously strive to build a better future.
In addition to the VCU-500 control unit, McLaren Applied is providing data viewing capability to the series – data visualization tool ATLAS, more commonly spotted on the Formula 1 pit wall. System Monitor, which allows configuration and calibration of VCU-500 parameters, and McLaren Control Toolbox – a programming tool for the VCU-500 based about MATLAB SIMULINK toolsets.