Hewlett-Packard Powers Stewart-Ford Racing Team to First-Ever Victory

Strategic Insights -

Hewlett-Packard Company made headlines on September 28, 1999, when Johnny Herbert and the Stewart-Ford racing team claimed their first-ever victory at the European Formula One Grand Prix. The triumph marked a significant milestone for the team, which had been working closely with HP to develop advanced computer systems for designing their F1 cars. HP's contribution to the team's success was crucial, providing systems that helped identify necessary chassis, suspension, and aerodynamic modifications.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Stewart-Ford racing team, sponsored by HP, secured their first-ever victory at the European Formula One Grand Prix on September 26, 1999, with Johnny Herbert at the wheel.
  • The win was the result of HP's advanced computer systems, which provided the team with the tools to analyze car and engine data, identify necessary modifications, and optimize performance.
  • HP's involvement in the team's success was highlighted by Jackie Stewart, chairman and CEO of Stewart Grand Prix, who credited HP's systems for playing a "major contribution" to the team's success.
  • The team's infrastructure is based on HP 9000 Enterprise Servers running the HP-UX operating environment, with desktop client-server applications running on high-end HP Vectra PCs and HP Kayak PC Workstations.
  • The partnership between HP and Stewart Grand Prix dates back to the mid-1980s, with HP providing the team with advanced measurement systems, modeling techniques, and analysis tools.
  • HP's relationship manager for Stewart Grand Prix, Rick Parfitt, expressed the company's enthusiasm for working with the team, citing Jackie Stewart's charisma and winning history as key factors.

Statistics:

  • The Stewart-Ford racing team accumulated 31 points, with driver Rubens Barrichello finishing third in the European Formula One Grand Prix.
  • The team's total revenue facilitated by HP's technology support was not specified.
  • HP's 90-year history of innovation and excellence in the field of technology was not specified, but the company had a workforce of 123,500 employees worldwide as of 1998.
  • HP had total revenue of $47.1 billion in its 1998 fiscal year.
  • HP's involvement in worldwide sporting events dates back to the 1972 Olympics, with the company providing chemical-analysis equipment for drug testing.

Sources:

  • (1) A Business Wire press release dated September 28, 1999.
  • (2) HP-UX Release 10.20 and later and HP-UX Release 11.00 and later (in both 32- and 64-bit configurations) on all HP 9000 computers.