Neil Martin (motorsport)

Last updated

Neil Martin (born 3 September 1972) is an English Formula One strategist, the former head of strategy at Scuderia Ferrari.

After studying mathematics and computer science at the University of Southampton, Martin continued at Southampton to read Operational Research (OR) [1] for his MSc. Originally intending to seek a job in the City of London, he managed to convince McLaren Racing, to sponsor his idea for a Race Strategy project. [2] On completion McLaren offered him a job. [3]

In 1998 Martin pioneered the use of Game Theory and Monte Carlo techniques in Formula 1 race strategy, [4] [5] which embraced risk and random events to deliver more awareness of the likely race outcomes. These stochastic techniques allowed for the modelling of uncertain events e.g. future traffic patterns, the likelihood of overtakes and what to do under a Safety Car, [6] which gave better insight than the previous deterministic algorithms and therefore allowed for more informed decisions under risk events.

Martin was responsible at McLaren for the direction of strategic development of technology and race strategies, developing software to provide instant access to data on specific car components while on track. [7] His role came to public prominence at the 2005 Monaco Grand Prix, when he helped Kimi Räikkönen win the race by making a key strategic call during a safety car incident, by sending an email from McLaren's Woking base to stay out rather than pit. [8]

Headhunted by Red Bull Racing in May 2006, he joined the team as Chief Strategist in January 2007. [7] An anti-intuitive, but correct, strategy call at the 2009 Chinese grand prix, staying out with both cars in bad weather at the start of the race, when Alonso in second place and other contenders pitted for fuel behind the safety car, facilitated Red Bull Racing’s first historic win, which was also a 1-2 finish. [9]

In January 2011, after Ferrari made a poor strategic call during the 2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which lost driver Fernando Alonso the 2010 World Championship to Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel, Martin joined Ferrari alongside ex-McLaren engineer Pat Fry in a revamped Ferrari race operations and engineering team. [10] He left Ferrari at 2015 in the team’s organizational restructuring. [11] [12] [13]

In 2016, Martin led an engineering team for Mercedes-affiliated HWA and was engaged in the team’s Formula E plan along with Steve Clark. [14]

In 2019, Martin joined venture builder Equals Collective as Non-Executive Director. [15]

Martin is also a keynote speaker in Mark Gallagher’s F1 talents team, working alongside ex-F1 drivers David Coulthard, Mika Häkkinen and Jacques Villeneuve. [16]

Related Research Articles

Scuderia Ferrari S.p.A. is the racing division of luxury Italian auto manufacturer Ferrari and the racing team that competes in Formula One racing. The team is also nicknamed "The Prancing Horse", with reference to their logo. It is the oldest surviving and most successful Formula One team, having competed in every world championship since the 1950 Formula One season. The team was founded by Enzo Ferrari, initially to race cars produced by Alfa Romeo, though by 1947 Ferrari had begun building its own cars. Among its important achievements outside Formula One are winning the World Sportscar Championship, 24 Hours of Le Mans, 24 Hours of Spa, 24 Hours of Daytona, 12 Hours of Sebring, Bathurst 12 Hour, races for Grand tourer cars and racing on road courses of the Targa Florio, the Mille Miglia and the Carrera Panamericana. The team is also known for its passionate support base known as the tifosi. The Italian Grand Prix at Monza is regarded as the team's home race.

Kimi Räikkönen Finnish racing driver

Kimi-Matias Räikkönen, nicknamed "The Iceman", is a Finnish racing driver currently driving in Formula One for Alfa Romeo Racing, racing under the Finnish flag. Räikkönen won the 2007 Formula One World Championship driving for Scuderia Ferrari. In addition to this title, he also finished second overall in 2003 and 2005, and third in 2008, 2012 and 2018. With 103 podium finishes, he is one of only five drivers to have taken over 100 podiums. Räikkönen has won 21 Grands Prix, making him the most successful Finnish driver in terms of Formula One race wins, and is the only driver to win in the V10, V8 and the V6 turbo hybrid engine eras. After nine seasons racing in Formula One he left the sport to compete in the World Rally Championship in 2010 and 2011, returning to Formula One from 2012 onward. He is known for his reserved personality and reluctance to participate in PR events. At the 2020 Eifel Grand Prix, he broke the record for most starts in Formula One.

Felipe Massa Brazilian racing driver

Felipe Massa is a Brazilian racing driver. He competed in 15 seasons of Formula One between 2002 and 2017, where he scored 11 Grand Prix victories, 41 podiums and finished as championship runner-up in 2008 by one point.

Red Bull Racing, competing as Red Bull Racing Honda, also simply known as Red Bull or RBR, is a Formula One racing team, racing a Honda powered car under an Austrian licence and based in the United Kingdom. The team raced under a British licence from 2005 to 2006 and has raced under an Austrian licence since 2007. It is one of two Formula One teams owned by beverage company Red Bull GmbH; the other being Scuderia AlphaTauri. The team has been managed by Christian Horner since its formation in 2005.

2007 Formula One World Championship

The 2007 FIA Formula One World Championship was the 61st season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 2007 FIA Formula One World Championship, which began on 18 March and ended on 21 October after seventeen events. The Drivers' Championship was won by Ferrari driver Kimi Räikkönen by one point at the final race of the season, making Räikkönen the third Finnish driver to take the title. An appeal by McLaren regarding the legality of some cars in the final race could have altered the championship standings, but on 16 November, the appeal was rejected by the International Court of Appeal, confirming the championship results. Räikkönen entered the final race in third position in the drivers' standings, but emerged as champion after the chequered flag, a feat first accomplished by Giuseppe Farina in 1950.

Ferrari F60 Formula One car

The Ferrari F60 is a Formula One motor racing car, which Scuderia Ferrari used to compete in the 2009 Formula One season. The chassis was designed by Aldo Costa, Nikolas Tombazis and John Iley with Mario Almondo playing a vital role in leading the production of the car as the team's director of operations and Gilles Simon leading the engine and electronics design. The car was unveiled on 12 January 2009.

Ferrari F2007

The Ferrari F2007 is a Formula One motor racing car, with which Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro competed during the 2007 Formula One season, it being the fifty-third single-seater car which the team have built to use in Formula One. The chassis was designed by Aldo Costa, Nikolas Tombazis and John Iley with Mario Almondo playing a vital role in leading the production of the car as the team's director of operations and Gilles Simon leading the engine design. The car is best known for providing Kimi Räikkönen with his first World Championship title and the team with its first Constructor's title since Michael Schumacher helped them win both in the 2004 Formula One season and the most recent World Drivers' Championship win for the team as of the end of the 2020 Formula One season.

2007 Malaysian Grand Prix

The 2007 Malaysian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race, held on 8 April 2007 at the Sepang International Circuit and the second race of the 2007 Formula One World Championship. Reigning world champion Fernando Alonso won the race from second on the grid, with McLaren teammate Lewis Hamilton finishing second. This marked McLaren's first one-two finish since the 2005 Brazilian Grand Prix. Previous race winner Kimi Räikkönen finished third. Räikkönen's Ferrari teammate Felipe Massa started the race from pole position, but was passed by both McLarens in the first two corners of the first lap, eventually finishing in fifth place behind BMW's Nick Heidfeld.

2007 Italian Grand Prix

The 2007 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 9 September 2007 at Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, Italy. It was the thirteenth race of the 2007 Formula One season.

2007 Turkish Grand Prix

The 2007 Turkish Grand Prix was the twelfth race of the 2007 Formula One season. Won by Felipe Massa, it was held on 26 August 2007 at the Istanbul Park in Tuzla. It was the third time a Formula One race had been held here. The two previous winners of the race were Kimi Räikkönen in 2005 and Massa in 2006, both of whom race for Ferrari in 2007.

2008 Singapore Grand Prix 15th round of the 2008 Formula One season

The 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, formally known as the 2008 Formula 1 SingTel Singapore Grand Prix, was a Formula One race held on 28 September 2008 at 20:00 SST at the newly built Marina Bay Street Circuit in Marina Bay, Singapore. It was the 15th race of the 2008 Formula One World Championship, the 800th Formula One World Championship race overall, and the first ever Formula One race held at night. This was also the first time Singapore hosted a Formula One race, as the last Singapore Grand Prix was a Formula Libre event in 1973.

2008 Turkish Grand Prix

The 2008 Turkish Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 11 May 2008 at the Istanbul Racing Circuit, Tuzla, Turkey. The 58-lap race, the fifth of the 2008 Formula One World Championship, was won by Felipe Massa for the Ferrari team from pole position. Lewis Hamilton finished second in a McLaren, with Kimi Räikkönen third in the second Ferrari.

2008 Canadian Grand Prix 2008 Canadian Formula One race held in Montreal

The 2008 Canadian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 8 June 2008 at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was the 7th race of the 2008 Formula One season. The 70-lap race was won by Robert Kubica for the BMW Sauber team after starting from second position. Nick Heidfeld finished second in a BMW Sauber car, with David Coulthard third in a Red Bull; taking the final podium of his F1 career.

2008 European Grand Prix

The 2008 European Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 24 August 2008 at the Valencia Street Circuit in Valencia, Spain. It was the 12th race of the 2008 Formula One World Championship. Felipe Massa for the Ferrari team won the 57-lap race from pole position. Lewis Hamilton finished second in a McLaren car, with Robert Kubica third in a BMW Sauber.

2008 Italian Grand Prix Formula One motor race held in 2008

The 2008 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 14 September 2008 at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, Monza, Italy. It was the 14th race of the 2008 Formula One World Championship. Sebastian Vettel for the Toro Rosso team won the 53-lap race from pole position. Heikki Kovalainen finished second in a McLaren, and Robert Kubica third in a BMW Sauber.

2008 Chinese Grand Prix

The 2008 Chinese Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 19 October 2008 at the Shanghai International Circuit. It was the 17th and penultimate race of the 2008 Formula One World Championship. Lewis Hamilton for the McLaren team won the 56-lap race from pole position. Ferrari driver Felipe Massa finished second, and Kimi Räikkönen was third in the other Ferrari. This was the 200th Grand Prix victory by a British driver.

Daniel Ricciardo Australian racing driver

Daniel Joseph Ricciardo is an Italian-Australian racing driver who is currently competing in Formula One, under the Australian flag, for McLaren. He made his debut at the 2011 British Grand Prix with the HRT team as part of a deal with Red Bull Racing, for whom he was test driving under its sister team Scuderia Toro Rosso. Ricciardo’s driver number is 3.

Chris Dyer is the head of Vehicle Performance Group at Renault Sport Formula 1 Team and the former race engineer of Michael Schumacher and Kimi Räikkönen at the Ferrari Formula One team.

2009 Spanish Grand Prix

The 2009 Spanish Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 10 May 2009 at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain. It was the fifth race of the 2009 Formula One season.

The Grand Prix racing history of Scuderia Ferrari dates back to 1947. The team is the most successful team in the history of Formula One racing, contesting every World Championship season since 1950, winning 15 Drivers' Championships and 16 Constructors' Championships.

References

  1. ↑ "Neil Martin | Mathematical Sciences | University of Southampton". www.southampton.ac.uk.
  2. ↑ Παπαδόπουλος, Δημήτρης. "GoCar.gr speaks to Neil Martin - Ferrari's Head of Operation and Research gives an insight on his job". www.gocar.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  3. ↑ James Allen (2 September 2008). "Planning success". FT. Retrieved 6 January 2011.[ dead link ]
  4. ↑ "The strategy behind the race". The National. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  5. ↑ "Gartner Data & Analytics Summit 2020 | São Paulo". Gartner. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  6. ↑ Παπαδόπουλος, Δημήτρης. "GoCar.gr speaks to Neil Martin - Ferrari's Head of Operation and Research gives an insight on his job". www.gocar.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  7. 1 2 "Southampton Graduate Hired for Formula 1". University of Southampton. May 2006. Archived from the original on 4 September 2010. Retrieved 6 January 2011.
  8. ↑ Kevin Garside (23 May 2005). "E-mail keeps Raikkonen on road to glory". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 6 January 2011.
  9. ↑ Elizalde, Matt Beer and Pablo. "The complete 2009 Chinese GP review - F1 - Autosport Plus". Autosport.com. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
  10. ↑ "Pat Fry replaces Chris Dyer in Ferrari reshuffle". BBC Sport. 4 January 2011. Retrieved 6 January 2011.
  11. ↑ "Rivoluzione a Maranello: Hamashima lascia la Ferrari, fuori anche Neil Martin". fanpage.it. 17 December 2014. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  12. ↑ "Ferrari's firings". motorsportmagazine.com. 22 December 2014. Retrieved 12 September 2018.
  13. ↑ "Formule 1 : Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team - Impression de News". www.f1-direct.com. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
  14. ↑ "Revealed: Mercedes already active on Formula E plans". motorsport.com. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
  15. ↑ "Equals Collective Launches To Bridge the Gap Between Technology Investment and Success". bdaily.co.uk. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  16. ↑ "Book Neil Martin | Formula 1 Talent Neil Martin Public Speaker Bookings". Mark Gallagher. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.