Mark Preston shares his extensive career in motorsport and mobility innovation, detailing his engineering roles at Arrows and McLaren, founding Super Aguri F1, and successes in Formula E. He discusses leadership, strategic clarity, and the application of AI in autonomous vehicles, emphasizing the importance of continuous learning and high-performance teams.
Category Archives: innovation
The StreetDrone Origin Story
STREETDRONE STORY_ If you want to understand how StreetDrone came to be, simply visit their office courtyard around the end of June every summer. The StreetDrone Summer Party has become legendary in the tech industry in the UK. In this little corner of Oxford, you’ll find autonomous vehicles running nonchalantly up and down the roadContinue reading “The StreetDrone Origin Story”
An open letter to Scott Morrison: we need a green new deal. Now
Reposted after the original letter published Jan 11, 2020, on Medium Mark Preston has travelled through the world of the Australian automotive industry to Formula 1 and on to Formula E and autonomous vehicles, constantly considering the future of his favourite subject — cars. The race team he leads — DS TECHEETAH Formula E TeamContinue reading “An open letter to Scott Morrison: we need a green new deal. Now”
When Racing and Virtual Reality Collide
Augmented reality has the potential to revolutionise sport, sustainability and transport in megacities. Formula racing is a vibrant, colourful, fast paced sport. Now, something new is set to offer its innovative, immersive motoring experiences to viewers beyond the trackside. The Oculus Rift is a new virtual reality headset that allows players to step into aContinue reading “When Racing and Virtual Reality Collide”
Winning ways in Buenos Aires
Wow, what a weekend! Amlin Aguri’s first win in the FIA’s first fully electric championship! It is an amazing feeling to get a result after all the work put in by the team over the last three years. “Luck is when opportunity meets preparation.” Plus it takes a lot of work to start a newContinue reading “Winning ways in Buenos Aires”
Why is the Foxconn announcement so interesting?
Like many young engineers, I wanted to build my own road car. I began to plan out how much it would cost, where I would buy parts, what would I use as a donor vehicle, how would I manufacture the bodywork and especially and most importantly: what engine would I use?! I didn’t just wantContinue reading “Why is the Foxconn announcement so interesting?”
Race to the future
A year from now, climate negotiators representing countries worldwide will be in Paris. They hope to finalise international agreement to cut greenhouse gas emissions and slow climate change. Success will depend heavily on economic policy, and the new technologies to usher in a carbon light world. “Unlike treaties of the past, the Paris agreement needsContinue reading “Race to the future”
Formtech launches the E1 research concept EV
Formtech created a vision of EV when they launched the E1 atFrankfurt’s IAA Motorshow in September. The research study provides the base for a number of concepts in lightweighting technology using composites, high-end materials and machining. Formtech’s EV started out as a concept for the companies CEO Franz Hilmer, “I wanted to develop a carContinue reading “Formtech launches the E1 research concept EV”
First Order Performance Drivers
What really makes a racing car go fast, it comes down to a few first order principles
Innovation in F1 – Part 1
Is innovation in Formula One dead? Or are we just at a different stage in the development? Part 1 looks at some aspects of the typical cycles and how we might define the stage.