Insights

Insights & Articles

Reflections on leadership, innovation, and high-performance teams from 30+ years in elite motorsport. From Formula 1 and Formula E strategy to autonomous vehicles and the future of mobility — exploring how racing principles translate to business excellence.

  • Navigating Speed, Strategy & Innovation in Motorsport and Beyond

    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. Continue reading →

  • Motorsport Passions

    Mark Preston, currently the Motorsport Director at Lola Cars, shares his inspiring journey in the racing world. From his early days working with Formula Fords in Australia to leading teams in Formula 1 and Formula E. His passion for motorsport has been a constant throughout his career, driving him to innovate and adapt to new…

  • Experimenting with AI for creating a Podcast

    As you all well know, AI tools are moving forward at a great rate of knots, so its worth saying that this post is being created in Oct 2024, because this might be out of date in months if not weeks! If you haven’t had a try of Google’s NotebookLM, its definitely worth experimenting with.…

  • How to become an F1 Technical Director

    🚀 Thrilled to share my journey in motorsport through the “How to Become an F1 Technical Director” interview. I reflected on my transition from a mechanical engineer in Australia. This journey led me to work with some of the top teams in Formula 1 and Formula E. It has been an incredible experience. The key…

  • 24 Great Truckin’ Songs

    In 1976 I was 8 years old, living on a farm in Kiacatoo, outside Condobolin in central New South Wales, and… into trucks. For Christmas that year I was given my first LP: ’24 Great Truck Drivin’ Songs’. It even had CB Trucker Talk code words on the back to decode the “secret” trucker talk, and this…

  • Move the Ball: Mark Preston, Pushing the Boundaries in Motorsports and Beyond

    Mark Preston’s journey in motorsports, from his early days on an Australian farm to groundbreaking achievements in Formula 1 and Formula E, reflects his passion, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit. As Motorsport Director at Lola Cars, he continues to drive innovation with a focus on sustainability, marking him as a significant figure in the evolution of…

  • 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 road…

  • Lola Cars returning to top-tier global motorsport with technical partners Yamaha by joining the Formula E grid

    Lola partners with Yamaha to enter ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, marking its return to global motorsport. The alliance aims to develop and supply high-performance electric powertrains, focusing on sustainability. Lola’s rich history and expertise in motorsport, combined with Yamaha’s innovation, promise exciting opportunities in the zero emissions transportation space. Continue reading →

  • Communication and the Use of LLMs in Motorsports

    During his tenure at Arrows Grand Prix in 1999, the author used genetic algorithms to enhance F1 cars’ performance, a pioneering move at a time of limited computing power. Moving to McLaren, he considered implementing an ‘on-prem’ Google server to harness the team’s vast ’embedded knowledge.’ Experiencing communication difficulties at the Super Aguri team, he…

  • 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 Team…

  • Autonomy: The future of motorsport and personal travel

    Autonomous technology has the power to redefine driving, both on the race track and in our daily lives, states Mark Preston, Team Principal of the Team Aguri Formula E squad Autonomous vehicles have been a regular feature in the headlines over the past year as the technology has been refined and global brands such as…

  • 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 a…

  • 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 new…