McLaren and Computer Associates join forces

West McLaren Mercedes and Computer Associates team up to challenge the competion -- partnership to provide cutting edge track-side technology

Computer Associates and the West McLaren Mercedes Formula One team have expanded their technology partnership, with the aim of further boosting the team's race performance.

Under the terms of the agreement, Computer Associates (CA) will provide McLaren with the technology to protect mission-critical IT systems at the track-side. BrightStor High-Availability software will provide the West McLaren Mercedes team with non-stop access to telemetry data that is transmitted live between the cars and the pits. It will also protect McLaren's servers against OS (operating system) or other software crashes during Formula One tests and races.

By using the telemetry system, Formula One engineers are able to analyse the data in real-time, upload updated parameters to the cars while they run, and feedback information to the drivers, in order to achieve maximum performance on the track.

This extension to the partnership will continue to take the sponsorship beyond the usual marketing relationship, with CA providing the West McLaren Mercedes Team with vital technology tailored to the high-performance demands of Formula One racing.

Hayley Tabor, CA General Manager, Europe, Middle East and Africa, said: "We are delighted McLaren has shown its confidence in Computer Associates' software solutions, ensuring our technology partnership will continue to go from strength to strength. We feel the time is right for the partnership to move into a phase where our software technology can play a more and more active role in the West McLaren Mercedes team. Formula One is technically sophisticated and complex, and provides a great showcase for our software."

"We are always very pleased when one of our long term partners extends its relationship with the company, and shows the commitment and dedication to explore how the partnership can be further strengthened," explained Ron Dennis, Chairman and CEO of the TAG McLaren Group.

"Formula One is the ultimate proving ground for a company like Computer Associates as borders are constantly moving and technology is pushed to the limit. I'm certain that we have only been scratching the surface of the enormous benefits our partnership can bring to the team."

McLaren will also be using CA's eTrust Antivirus, a set of antivirus solutions, to provide the team's desktop machines with complete protection against today's viruses and other security threats. The solution provides West McLaren Mercedes with reduced virus infections, automated updating, and simplified administration.

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