F1 - Performing Beyond the Circuit

Formula One technology is widely recognised as being cutting edge. In a lot of respects, this is true. However, there are many aspects of the business that are very basic, albeit carefully executed in a controlled way. Formula One teams, like most successful technology companies, are frugal with the deployment of their resources. The effort is very carefully focussed towards business objects, the most important of which is, by far, success on the track. A team will not embark upon a technology project unless it is likely to offer benefits in car performance, business economy, or reduced time scales. For that reason, and contrary to most popular beliefs, any technology benefits that transfer from a Formula One team to mainstream manufacturing are incidental to the primary aim of making the car more competitive. Or are they? And are they quite so obvious as you might first expect?