Boosting Mercedes F1 performance with AMD’s increased computing power could help them recover.
The old adage “speed is everything” applies perfectly to Formula 1.
New rules and regulations have shaken up the grid this season, making it more important than ever to have an advantage over your competitors.
Mercedes F1, the team behind seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton and eight-time constructors’ champion, has struggled mightily this season, trailing far behind Ferrari and Red Bull
EPYC speeds
However, the team is aware that it can still rely on AMD, one of the world’s leading computing companies, to help it get to the next level.
The team’s aerodynamic testing, which is an important part of creating a race-winning car, will be aided by the semiconductor company’s second-generation EPYC processors.
SVP & GM, Server Business Unit, AMD Dan McNamara: “We are proud to partner with the reigning Constructors’ Champions, the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team,” said McNamara.
When it comes to Formula One racing, having the best computational analysis of aerodynamics can make or break a race.” There has been a significant improvement in the speed and efficiency of the Mercedes-AMG F1 team’s vehicle design with AMD EPYC processors.
AMD’s EPYC processors have helped Mercedes F1 achieve a 20% performance improvement in CFD workloads used to model and test the aerodynamic flow of their F1 car, according to a blog post on the company’s website.
The importance of aerodynamics to a Formula 1 team has never been greater, especially since the governing body of the sport, the FIA, implemented new rules limiting the amount of testing that can be done in an effort to level the playing field between wealthy and less wealthy teams.
Compute resources, such as servers, have a cap of $140 million in the current budget, which will be reduced to $135 million in 2023. During an eight-week testing period, only 1,800 new geometry simulations can be run, so it’s critical to glean all the information possible.
When Lewis Hamilton and fellow Brit George Russell sign a three-year deal to use EPYC 2.0 hardware, Mercedes is hoping for an uptick in fortunes on the track.
“AMD EPYC processors provide us a platform that offers aerodynamic performance day in and day out at the highest possible level while fulfilling our aim of shorter turnaround time for design iterations,” said Simon Williams, Head of Aero Development Software at Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One.
As a result of a 20% performance boost, our CFD workload time has been reduced in half. This is just amazing.” Compared to earlier systems, this is a significant improvement.”