In the global motorsports scene, as track operations, research and development, manufacturing, and data infrastructure become intricately interconnected, power stability and energy efficiency are being discussed as major challenges. Racing teams are working to upgrade their energy operating systems not only at the track but also across their entire headquarters infrastructure to maintain performance in extreme competition environments.

Schneider Electric announced on the 5th that it has been selected as McLaren Racing's 'Official Energy Technology Partner'. Schneider Electric, a company in the field of energy management and automation, will pursue the joint development and application of energy solutions in racing environments through this collaboration.

The scope of collaboration extends from trackside power infrastructure at racing circuits around the world to the energy infrastructure at the McLaren Technology Centre (MTC) headquarters in Woking, UK. The two companies plan to jointly develop and apply energy solutions capable of delivering performance even in extreme environments.

This partnership is a collaboration encompassing the entire range of major teams under McLaren Racing, led by the McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team, as well as the Arrow McLaren IndyCar Team, McLaren F1 Academy, and McLaren United Autosport WEC Hypercar Team. Both companies explained that they are pursuing this collaboration based on shared values of data intelligence, accelerated innovation, and engineering expertise.

Building on a supplier partnership that has lasted for over 20 years, the two companies will jointly drive energy technology innovation in the racing environment. They plan to optimize energy operations across key infrastructure assets, such as wind tunnels, manufacturing facilities, and IT data centers, reduce energy consumption by establishing highly reliable power systems, and accelerate electrification based on advanced energy technologies.

In addition, the plan is to simultaneously enhance operational efficiency and sustainability by leveraging digital twin technology to secure data-driven insights. The purpose is to raise the level of management across overall energy operations, both inside and outside the track, through this.

Olivier Blum, CEO of Schneider Electric, said, “Racing is the most challenging environment to prove the value of advanced energy and digital technologies,” adding, “I am proud to provide McLaren Racing with ‘energy intelligence’ they can rely on both on and off the track.”

"We are delighted to welcome Schneider Electric as our official energy technology partner, building on the trust we have built over a long period of time," said Jack Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing. "By combining Schneider's energy technology expertise with McLaren's performance philosophy, we will evolve our overall operations to be smarter and more efficient."