F1 chief Wolff 'delighted' as Mercedes officially announce new partner

Mercedes chief Toto Wolff has admitted his delight after the F1 team announced a new strategic collaboration with leading global automotive technology company, Luminar.

The Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series – used in tandem with the Aston Martin Vantage as the F1 safety car – will feature laser technology in 2024 that enables it to see road debris up to 250m away – thanks to Luminar.

If the FIA and F1 give the nod of approval to its rollout, the advancement could drastically improve the safety car driver's ability to assess any danger ahead on track while keeping the necessary speed under challenging conditions.

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“Luminar’s technology has always been about pushing the limits of performance while improving automotive safety - and with F1, Mercedes-AMG are taking it to the extreme on a world stage of automotive enthusiasts,” said Austin Russell, founder and CEO of Luminar.

“The same leading technology developed in partnership with Mercedes-Benz for their production cars will be shared with the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team, demonstrating performance and safety advantages at any speed from the city, to the autobahn, to the track.”

Wolff delighted at new Mercedes deal

“I am delighted that we have launched this new partnership with Luminar," added Wolff.

"I have been thoroughly impressed by their journey so far, their technology and the work they have done.

"It is a truly thrilling and innovative area which will have far-reaching implications for the automotive industry and mobility more generally.

“Our collaboration will utilise the initial development work between Luminar and Mercedes-Benz as a bedrock, and I am excited to see how we can build on that.

"Luminar’s culture of innovation and entrepreneurship also fits incredibly well with our own ethos and values so this is a natural collaboration.”

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