The Surprise in the Pit Lane
I recently attended the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Montreal with key Williams Racing team partner Atlassian. What I expected was spectacle, and what I got instead was a masterclass in how technology, teamwork, and mindset come together under extreme pressure.
Walking the pit lane, I was initially struck by the speed and precision. But what impressed me most was how deeply Formula 1 has become a sport of software, simulation, and strategy. It left me thinking: AI is the biggest topic in the boardroom, but are we actually thinking about how we use it as executives?
In both F1 and business, performance is no longer just about how fast you move. It’s about how fast you learn, adapt, and decide.
From Stopwatches to Simulation
In the early days of racing, data collection was primitive. McLaren has noted that in the days of Prost and Senna, teams tracked lap times with a stopwatch and a notepad. Even then, the sport as a whole saw the value of data; they knew that analyzing braking points or corner lines could make the difference between victory and defeat.
Today, that same dedication to learning has scaled dramatically. F1 teams collect terabytes of real-time data on everything from tire temperature to energy recovery to crosswind prediction. Dell Technologies and many others provide the AI infrastructure to make sense of it, turning raw information into insights that drive decisions mid-race.
Why does that matter? Because sometimes you only have half a lap — mere seconds — to decide whether to pit. If it takes you half a day to make sense of the data, you’ve already lost the opportunity.
Time to Insight: The Real Power of AI
A lesson business leaders need to absorb is that AI isn’t just a tool for efficiency, it’s a tool for foresight.
At its best, AI does far more than expedite processes. It expands your ability to simulate, scenario-plan, and align in real time. F1 teams use generative AI to simulate thousands of possible race scenarios before a tire even hits the track. Imagine the parallel in enterprise planning: the ability to model product timelines, forecast revenue, and see how your operating model might flex under regulatory changes or supply chain disruption.
While it’s a crucial selling point, speed isn’t everything. If your AI strategy only helps you move faster, you’re still driving blind.
Culture Still Wins the Race
One of the most powerful insights I took away from my time in the paddock was about culture.
Members of the Williams team described what they called a “no-shame” culture. Mistakes weren’t punished. Engineers and drivers alike were expected to speak up when things went wrong because that’s how they got better. One member even told me: “You’re right to be wrong.”
That mindset resonated deeply. In my own company, we’ve long believed that success under pressure comes from building teams that train for discomfort.
It’s just as true with AI.
No AI initiative will succeed inside a culture that punishes curiosity, fears iteration, or waits for perfect answers before acting. AI thrives where teams are empowered to ask better questions and experiment.
Leading Like a Strategist
It’s tempting to think of AI as a technical transformation. In reality, it’s a leadership one.
Executives are navigating massive complexity: legacy systems, distributed teams, regulatory constraints. AI can absolutely direct you there, but its real value comes from helping leaders process ambiguity, simulate outcomes, and build the confidence to decide faster and better.
That kind of leadership takes foresight. Not just tracking trends, but seeing around corners. And it takes discipline — not chasing novelty, but embedding intelligence into the actual flow of work.
It also takes alignment. The best F1 teams don’t just have great data; they have teams aligned around winning, and what it takes to do so. They know what risks they’re willing to take and how they’ll adapt when the race doesn’t go to plan.
Business needs the same.
The Blueprint Is Already Here
The blueprint to AI success is right in front of us: in the systems, rhythms, and mindsets of elite teams that perform under pressure.
If Formula 1 teaches us anything, it’s that the winners aren’t always the ones with the fastest engine. Sometimes, it’s the ones with the clearest signal, the shortest feedback loop, and the strongest trust between driver and crew.
So if you’re leading a transformation, ask yourself:
- Are you simulating enough scenarios to understand the road ahead?
- Are your teams empowered to adapt mid-race?
- Is your data fast enough (and trusted enough) to act on in real time?
In the end, AI is more than just intelligence; it’s about decisions. And the best leaders are building teams that can make the right ones faster.
