tl;dr: McLaren’s 2025 Constructors’ Championship win showcases the perfect blend of human determination and cutting-edge tech. With Dell’s AI and high-performance computing, McLaren analyzes 1.5 TB of race data in real-time, runs 50 million simulations per weekend, and slashes car component design time by 90%. This partnership fuels innovation, keeps McLaren competitive under F1’s cost cap, and drives their relentless pursuit of victory—one lap at a time.
In Formula 1, success is measured in fractions of a second. It’s a sport defined by the relentless pursuit of perfection, where the synergy between human talent and technological prowess is everything. This is why I am so incredibly proud to congratulate the entire McLaren Formula 1 team on their phenomenal season and on securing the 2025 Constructors’ Championship!
Their success is a testament to incredible determination, brilliant engineering, and world-class driving. As the F1 season came to our doorstep for the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin, it’s a perfect moment to reflect on what it takes to compete and win, at the highest level. As a company born in Austin more than 40 years ago, this race feels like a home event for us, and it highlights a partnership we are immensely proud of.
The challenge: Racing against limits, not just the clock
To be a champion team in F1, you need more than just a fast car. Teams operate under tight regulations, including a strict cost cap that governs spending. The challenge is to innovate faster and smarter than the competition within these constraints.
Every race weekend, the McLaren team generates around 1.5 terabytes of data from over 100,000 sensors on each car. This torrent of information holds the key to unlocking performance, but analyzing it in real-time – making split-second strategy decisions on everything from tire wear to aerodynamics – is a monumental task. How do you find the winning edge when data is everywhere, and time is scarce?
The solution: A human-machine partnership
Since our partnership began in 2018, Dell Technologies has worked with McLaren Racing to help them answer that question. We provide the intelligent and powerful technological backbone that enables their team of brilliant engineers and strategists to turn massive data sets into a competitive advantage.
With Dell’s high-performance computing (HPC) solutions, McLaren can run up to 50 million aerodynamic and system simulations over a single race weekend, accelerating innovation. Using the Dell Technologies AI Factory, the team harnesses artificial intelligence to support key human decisions around race strategy and performance. Off the track, our technology has helped slash the design and manufacturing time for new car components by over 90%, allowing the team to bring upgrades from the factory to the track faster than ever before.
To manage the sport’s evolving demands, McLaren leverages Dell Data Storage Services, giving them the flexibility to scale their data infrastructure on demand. This agility is crucial for performance and helps the team manage resources effectively under the FIA cost cap, freeing up investment for where it matters most: the car. Our role is to empower McLaren’s people with the tools they need to push the boundaries of what’s possible.
McLaren Racing Live: Zone Studio in Austin
This fusion of human expertise and peak technology creates a state of perfect focus, a concept racers know as the “flow state.” It’s that magical zone where skill meets the challenge at hand, and distractions fade away.
To celebrate this idea and our collaboration with McLaren, we brought the concept to life in downtown Austin. The McLaren Racing Live: Zone Studio experience allowed attendees to explore the intersection of art, technology, and racing in a unique “gallery meets garage” event. Attendees could try out Dell’s immersive VR experience to swap tires on a virtual racecar and try to beat McLaren’s record of 1.8 seconds. The energy was unmistakable – lines wrapped around the block, and the atmosphere was electric, embodying McLaren’s “Never Stop Racing” spirit through an experience as bold, immersive, and high-performance as the sport itself.
It was a celebration of the very spirit that drives McLaren to victory and a chance for us to connect with fans and partners during the race weekend. While we will always represent Dell Blue, for this F1 weekend, we donned Papaya Orange to cheer on our partners at our home race—proud of the role we play in helping them race, on the edge.
At the United States Grand Prix in Austin, McLaren showcased their resilience and competitive edge. Lando Norris delivered a stellar performance, securing a hard-fought second place after an intense battle with Charles Leclerc. Meanwhile, Oscar Piastri finished a commendable fifth, overcoming challenges to gain valuable points. This strong showing at their “home race” further solidified McLaren’s dominance in the Constructors’ Championship, while keeping the fight for the Drivers’ title thrillingly alive.
Success in F1, and in business, is about creating a culture where human ingenuity is amplified by technology. Together, we are demonstrating what that future looks like, one lap at a time.
Learn more about how Dell Technologies is helping to power the McLaren Formula 1 team.
