Formula 1 doesn’t just compete on the track. It also battles in the data center. In a sport where every camera, team radio, telemetry, and tire data is part of the overall spectacle, technological infrastructure has become a critical component for maintaining immediacy, quality, and reliability in broadcasts. In this context, Formula 1 and Lenovo have announced the deployment of Lenovo Neptune® Liquid Cooling, a liquid cooling technology aimed at boosting performance while reducing the energy consumption associated with the growing high-performance computing (HPC) environment.
According to both organizations, this move is part of their global collaboration and has a specific goal: scaling computing capacity for data loads and Artificial Intelligence without increasing the energy footprint. This message aligns with a real challenge: each season, the volume of data generated and processed increases, and modern broadcasting demands more real-time processing, automation, analysis, and production tools.
Biggin Hill: The nerve center where the show is “crafted”
The deployment is taking place at the Media & Technology Centre (M&TC) of Formula 1 in Biggin Hill (UK), a complex serving as the hub for broadcast and processing operations. Formula 1 explains that during race weekends, around 600 TB of live data can flow between the Event Technical Centre (ETC)—the transportable technical setup mounted near the circuit—and the M&TC. This facility also manages more than 180 custom software systems, totaling over 4 million lines of code, supported by Lenovo infrastructure.
This is not a superficial deployment. The goal is that, with the refreshed M&TC handling most of the weekend’s processing, Formula 1 can continue expanding its production and analysis capabilities without the energy costs of cooling dense compute becoming a limiting factor.
What Neptune offers: “Processor-level” water cooling with warm water
Lenovo presents Neptune as a liquid cooling solution designed to extract heat at the origin, directly from key components, using warm water. Instead of relying on large volumes of cold air and forcing fans and data center cooling to maximum capacity, the approach directs heat into the water circuit, reducing the energy dedicated to cooling—particularly relevant when deploying high-density servers.
The implementation is integrated into Lenovo ThinkSystem SD665-N V3 servers, with Lenovo citing energy efficiency improvements of up to 40%. The company states that this approach enables increased computational capacity for data loads and AI without proportionally raising the overall energy consumption, a key point for organizations aiming to grow without exceeding power, cooling, or sustainability limits.
Sustainability as an engineering driver (not just a slogan)
Formula 1 has set a goal to reach Net Zero by 2030, with technology playing a direct role in that journey. In statements related to the announcement, Chris Roberts, F1’s CIO, frames Neptune as a decision aligned with these objectives: a way to reduce the HPC’s “footprint” while the organization continues innovating, integrating into an existing air-cooled data center, and maintaining on-premise workloads.
From Lenovo’s side, Dr. Tolga Kurtoglu, CTO, describes the deployment as a “fundamental” enhancement to F1’s technical infrastructure, supporting higher loads and faster processing with significant energy savings. In essence: more capacity for broadcasting and data systems, with efficiency that supports growth sustainably.
This approach aligns with Formula 1’s public progress report on environmental efforts: the organization states it is “on track” toward Net Zero 2030, with measurable progress against a 2018 baseline. In a sport that has grown in both calendar and audience size, improvements in efficiency in fixed facilities—such as tech centers and production operations—are especially valuable.
A partnership beyond the data center: supporting over 600 staff with Lenovo technology
The announcement also highlights the broad scope of the technological partnership: more than 600 Formula 1 staff members rely on Lenovo’s “AI-ready” servers and devices — from laptops with AI capabilities, monitors, and workstations to tablets and Motorola smartphones — to collaborate globally and operate during races. In terms of reach, F1 connects its broadcasts and operational complexity to a massive audience: over 820 million viewers for live broadcasts and an annual cumulative audience of 1.6 billion.
During race weekends, the ETC functions as a mobile technical station that gathers and organizes critical data: timing, telemetry, tire data, team radios, cameras, and audio. Virtualization and high computing power support this operation, with the M&TC handling final processing and production. In this chain, cooling shifts from an “installations matter” issue to a strategic factor: without thermal stability, computing density is paid in higher energy use, limitations, and operational risk.
Why this decision sets a trend
Beyond Formula 1, this announcement illustrates a clear sector trend: liquid cooling is becoming mainstream in high-performance computing because air cooling is increasingly insufficient (or too costly) for certain densities. As the demand for processing grows with real-time analytics and AI, the challenge is no longer just purchasing servers: it’s sustainably powering and cooling them.
With its focus on efficiency and performance, F1 acts as a visible laboratory: if the sport needs more computing power for broadcasting and operations—and wants it without exponentially increasing its energy footprint—the solution increasingly resembles what supercomputing centers and large data centers are adopting: bringing the water to the chip.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is direct water cooling (DWC), and why is it used in high-density HPC servers?
It’s a system that extracts heat directly from the processor and critical components using warm water, reducing reliance on cold air, fans, and intensive cooling—especially when rack densities increase rapidly.
How does Lenovo Neptune help reduce energy consumption in an already air-cooled data center?
By removing heat at the processor level and decreasing the thermal load that the data center’s air conditioning must manage, it can lower cooling energy costs and improve system thermal stability.
What role does the Biggin Hill Media & Technology Centre play in F1 broadcasts?
It serves as the processing and production hub: receiving enormous volumes of data from the circuit, running hundreds of software systems, and centralizing much of the technical work that transforms data and signals into a global broadcast.
Why does F1’s broadcast increasingly require AI and real-time computing?
Because the volume of signals (video, radio, telemetry) is growing, alongside the demand for instant production: more automation, analysis, editorial tools, technical support, and the capacity to maintain low latency and consistent quality.
via: news.lenovo