by VALERIO BARRETTA
Williams, Sargeant challenges the past
Artificial intelligence is also taking its first steps in Formula 1. There are those who foresee its use to determine strategies on the wall, design circuits or sanction incorrect maneuvers on the track, and there are those who are using it for more playful purposes. This is the case of Williamswhich thanks to AI and augmented reality compared six champions of the past… with Logan Sargeant. The project, which required two years of work, is entitled Lap of Legends and will debut in a television special airing May 14 on BBC America, AMC and the Roku Channel.
The first race between real and virtual will pit the American against six world champions: Mario AndrettiNigel MansellAlain ProstDamon HillJacques Villeneuve and Jenson Button. Sargeant drove last year’s FW45 (in 2024 livery) around the Silverstone track for 15 laps while wearing a special augmented reality helmet that allowed him to race virtual versions driven by world champions.
The race took place thanks to the Michelob ULTRA team, which analyzed over 720 grand prix and 1260 hours of footage to reproduce the style behind the wheel of the six world champions: Mansell, Prost, Hill and Villeneuve “drove” the Williams cars that given them the title (respectively, the FW14B of 1992, the FW15C of 1993, the FW18 of 1996 and the FW19 of 1997); Andretti was “on board” the FW07C of 1982 (he drove it for only one GP, in Long Beach) while Button was on board the FW22 of his debut season in F1 (2000). Sargeant’s car, however, did not have some elements, for example the DRS.
Prost’s words
“Just six months ago I couldn’t have imagined that a race like this was possible. Seeing how they took all the elements and parameters from the past to create a virtual race and recreate the way I drove is amazing”, this is the Professor’s comment.
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