F1 to deploy AI system in latest track limits crackdown

Feb.26 (GMM) Formula 1 is set to introduce a new AI-assisted system in 2026 aimed at ending the long-running track limits controversy.

According to reports including Italy’s La Repubblica, the semi-automated technology – known internally as ECAT (Every Car All Turns) – will integrate with the FIA’s existing race management software to detect when cars exceed circuit boundaries.

Track limits have become one of the sport’s most contentious officiating flashpoints in recent seasons.

The new system uses computer vision and micro-sector lap data to compare a car’s position against a reference model, automatically flagging incidents for review. It is understood that up to 95 percent of cases will now be filtered by software before reaching race control.

FIA Single-Seater Head of Information Systems Strategy Chris Bentley explained that the platform is built around a centralised camera controller.

“The new system will allow us to set all distances from a single point and distribute the necessary calculations,” Bentley said. “We will be able to run the computer vision software on any machine on the network, send it the portion of the video to be processed, and receive the results – allowing us to process ever more data.”

Stewards will still retain final authority, but the aim is to improve consistency and provide clearer visual evidence to teams.

The announcement comes amid the broader technological shift sweeping Formula 1 and the world, with AI increasingly embedded in strategy, simulation and data analysis. Several teams in 2026 now feature AI-focused partners, reflecting the sport’s wider digital transformation.

Coincidentally, the development was highlighted on the same day Lewis Hamilton – whose helmet carries sponsorship from AI company Perplexity – urged professionals to “stay curious” about the changing landscape of technology.

“Technology and AI are reshaping our industries,” Hamilton wrote on LinkedIn ahead of the Melbourne season opener. “Leadership can depend on how quickly you adapt to changes and are willing to evolve.”

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