Porsche Motorsport has announced an extension of its partnership with NetApp, appointing the data infrastructure company as its exclusive provider of intelligent data solutions. This collaboration builds upon NetApp's established track record of delivering real-time racing intelligence, which notably contributed to four victories in the 2023-2024 Formula E season.
Under the new agreement, Porsche will leverage NetApp's advanced data infrastructure to enhance strategic decision-making across multiple racing divisions, including their involvement in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IWSC) and the World Endurance Championship (WEC), in addition to continued support for the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team.
NetApp's technology enables the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team to have instantaneous access to critical data, informing race strategy and improving real-time decision-making. One notable application of this technology is data-driven simulations, which help the team determine the optimal moment to activate their Formula E Attack Mode. This feature provides an extra 50 kilowatts of engine power, allowing for a calculated burst of speed that can be pivotal in a race.
Gabie Boko, Chief Marketing Officer at NetApp, emphasised the significance of the partnership: "Racing is the ultimate test for technology because speed is literally the name of the game. Only a data infrastructure that's intelligent can deliver data fast enough to help motorsports teams earn a victory lap. Motorsports generate massive amounts of data during and even before a race that helps them develop their race strategy and respond to changing conditions. The Porsche Motorsport teams need reliable and instantaneous access to their data to stay competitive. As the leader in unified data storage, NetApp is uniquely positioned to help Porsche Motorsport share and analyse its data across its complex and high-performance IT environment wherever and whenever they need it, from the garage to the track."
The expanded partnership means that Team Porsche Penske Motorsport will utilise NetApp's technology in North America to support their data needs for the IWSC and WEC, enabling the team to make informed, split-second decisions during races.
Porsche Motorsport's reliance on NetApp's infrastructure will be supported by several key capabilities, including Cloud Volumes ONTAP and BlueXP. Cloud Volumes ONTAP provides a consistent storage experience across Porsche Motorsport's hybrid cloud environment, consolidating all the team's data in the cloud while making it accessible wherever it is needed. BlueXP allows for the creation of a single control plane to manage data, including the ability to generate local copies for low-latency analysis, which is crucial for real-time, trackside decision-making. Additionally, Cloud Backup ensures the high availability and cyber resilience of Porsche Motorsport's significant data investments.
Carlo Wiggers, Director of Team Management, Business Relations, and Esports at Porsche Motorsport, expressed confidence in the expanded partnership: "Motorsports are more about technology than almost anything else. A skilled driver is only as good as the vehicle and race strategy can empower them to be. NetApp helps us shine by powering the intelligent data infrastructure that moves our data to the exact place where it will be the most useful. Our teams travel around the world for race events but still need a connection to the data generated by our home base in Germany. NetApp has proven time and again that it can deliver that data reliably and speedily, giving us the confidence to expand our partnership to include the IWSC and WEC events in North America."
With this extended partnership, Porsche Motorsport and NetApp are set to continue pushing the boundaries of technological innovation in the world of motorsport, aiming for even greater achievements on some of the world's most challenging racetracks.
