We need to think big, thats why we are here: I asked Formula 1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali about the future of AI in the sport here's what he told me

Date:
Sat, 20 Jun 2026 10:05:00 +0000

Description:
Formula 1 is embracing AI across the tech stack, but the drivers will always be human, Formula 1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali tells us.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Formula 1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali has reinforced that the sport has no desire to step away from human drivers, despite the growing rise in autonomous vehicle
technology.

"First of all - I start with the easy point - we will never go with a robot driver, the drivers will always be physical - it's non-negotiable, he told TechRadar Pro at a recent media Q&A session. However he did recognize the
huge role AI could play in helping the sport connect with its growing fan
base around the world, particularly younger fans, as well as helping its
teams perform more effectively during races. Latest Videos From Watch full video here: AI in Formula 1 Domenicali did mention several pertinent use
cases for AI in Formula 1, ranging from supporting a teams decision-making process to manage the race, but also help a race director make the right decision - and even help alert the drivers themselves to potential safety issues on the track.

But he noted there may need to be future controls on how much teams spend on AI technology, as Formula 1 looks to ensure fairness as part of its budget cap, which limits the teams to $215 million per season. You may like Amazon CEO Andy Jassy lays out his '6 truths' for the future of AI How McLaren and Iron Mountain are restoring heritage racing media together Salesforce CEO
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It's a key point, Domenicali noted, we want to have a level playing field where all the teams can have more or less the same kind of financial contribution.

We want to make sure that all the AI discussions are beneficial, to make the right decision, prepare the car, simulate the car, but at the end of the day, the differentiating factor in our sport will always be that you are talking about emotions, about the way we connect with the people. Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get
all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting
your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. (Image credit: Getty Images) Recent figures from the organization claim it has around 831 million fans around the globe, and with this showing no sign of slowing down, Domenicali was bullish about his approach to hitting a billion fans.

Its a big responsibility, he admitted, it goes beyond who we are now, to the fact that F1 is shaping relationships with peopleits just an incredible opportunity to grow in our society - because we need to think big, thats why we are here.

We are in a sport that is evolving - and without the right people, I know
this is impossible, he noted, we are in a world where competition is part of our journey. What to read next How INEOS Cycling is hoping Netcompany's PULSE AI will help it break to victory Speed isnt strategy: Human judgement must be central to AI-led decisions Chasing every model release is a fool's errand
and a fast track to AI fatigue inside your organisation: GoodData.AI CTO says businesses should focus on automation use cases over every single new release

The world of entertainment today is big, and our fans can choose us, or
choose other things that are not related to sport itselfwithout the right way to engage, and the right way to understand how we can capture their
attention, its impossible.

Our people need to be focused on what they need to be focused on - and all
the agents work is just amazing, so now we need to think bigger. Salesforce and Formula 1 leading the way Domenicali was speaking at the recent
Salesforce World Tour London 2026 event, where hailed the companys long-running partnership with Formula 1.

The organization has embedded the companys Agentforce platform into its systems, helping it improve engagement with fans across the world, and Domenicali was perhaps unsurprisingly bullish about the relationship between the pair.

The journey starts, as always, with human relationships...we have to think big, we want to grow the awareness of who we are, understanding our
customers, making sure we connect with them, he told Zahra Bahrololoumi, President & UKI CEO at Salesforce , in her opening keynote at the event.

We are quite a complicated sport - so we need a lot of agents to make sure that we are able to be effectivethe sport is moving in a bigger, ecosystem of entertainers and relationships, and Salesforce is the right technology, with the right people and the right energy to make sure that we can go do it together. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/pro/we-need-to-think-big-thats-why-we-are-here-formu la-1-president-and-ceo-stefano-domenicali-backs-ai-but-tells-us-why-human-driv ers-will-always-be-a-part-of-the-sport


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