The firm’s global IT team automates workflows for race logistics, telemetry, and 2,000 quarterly requests using a unified automation platform.

For a sport now often criticized for its carbon footprint, many motoring brands invested in F1 racing point to the development of cutting-edge hybrid powertrains and sustainable engineering innovations that typically filter down to improve the eco-viability of the design and manufacture of their road cars.

Take McLaren Racing, for example: its technology teams have recently rolled out a digital overhaul to underscores how disciplined IT transformation — not faster engines — can model sustainability and efficiency in a global enterprise.

In late 2025 the organization announced that it had overhauled its IT service management approach to streamline how its global IT team handles race weekend logistics and enterprise operations. This expands the firm’s focus beyond car performance to digital operations, aiming to ensure uninterrupted technology support throughout its 24-race Formula 1 calendar.

One business efficiency challenge involves configuring hundreds of interconnected devices — within hours of a two-person trackside IT team arriving at the race venue — that collectively support telemetry, communications, data links, communication systems and remote analytics. Any delay or misconfiguration could interrupt critical data flow between the track and headquarters.

Boosting business resilience with unified automation

To manage this complexity, McLaren applied a unified IT service management platform that automated and standardized operational workflows. The solution simplified processes across race operations, engineering support, and corporate functions. Core initiatives under the new framework include:

  • Automated systems verification for equipment such as displays, microphones, sensors, and communication links before each event
  • Centralized ticketing and incident management for global staff, covering roughly 2,000 requests every quarter
  • Streamlined employee onboarding and off-boarding workflows, ensuring data and access consistency across locations
  • Real-time coordination between trackside engineers and aremote analysts through a shared platform interface that improves visibility across departments

According to the firm’s director of business technology, Dan Keyworth,  the goal is “to… simplify IT operations so the team can focus on performance rather than troubleshooting.” He added that standardizing workflows has reduced friction during the demanding race-weekend setup process.

The platform’s automation features also support daily business operations, ensuring IT reliability beyond racing activities. This unified environment has enabled the team to meet stringent time constraints more consistently and to scale operations efficiently despite a lean field-based IT workforce.

The provider of the IT service management platform adopted — Freshworks, has noted that the deployment reflects how automation and simplicity can drive operational resilience across globally distributed teams.