A race for the ages – Michelob ULTRA and Williams Racing pit former drivers against each other in AI showdown

Six Formula 1 world champions, nine drivers’ titles between them, racing their respective Williams cars over 15 laps of Silverstone alongside their modern-day equivalent – Michelob ULTRA’s ‘Lap of Legends’ truly broke new ground when released in May.

Logan Sargeant, at the time driving for Williams alongside Alex Albon, took to the track to compete against AI versions of Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill, Alain Prost, Jenson Button, Mario Andretti and Jacques Villeneuve.

The undertaking included plenty of research and planning as Michelob followed up their previous AI-led projects ‘McEnroe vs McEnroe’ and ‘Dreamcaster.

“It’s that work that inspired this project alongside Williams,” said Ricardo Marques, vice president of marketing for Michelob ULTRA.

“When we began discussing this project, we were fascinated by the possibility of leveraging technology to bring Williams’ rich history of drivers back to the track to compete in a first-of-its-kind real vs. virtual race.

“The final TV special allowed Michelob ULTRA to celebrate the joy of racing alongside Williams’ incredible history as a team.  

“When working through the development of this project with the Williams Racing team, we realised that AI could help us unlock great storytelling and allow us to create a unique piece of entertainment that brought these world champions back to the track.”

Williams legends gather for the Lap of Legends

Photo by: Williams Racing/Michelob ULTRA

The full show, nearly an hour in length, showcases Williams’ heritage by taking a look at their past using the technology of today.

In doing so, the team at Michelob left no stone unturned to make the race as close to real life as possible.

“To make it happen, we analysed every grand prix race the six legends ever raced in, allowing their avatars to think, react and drive just like they did throughout their career,” explained Marques.

“After reviewing more than 720 races, 1,260 hours of footage and 144,000 miles of racing, the avatars in the special were able to mimic the speed, racing style, technique and strategy of the drivers and their cars.

“All of the elements that helped these drivers become legends of the sport were factored in - stamina, aggression, tyre management and even their reaction to the competition. We were also to develop a one-of-a-kind augmented reality helmet that provided our real driver – Logan Sargeant – with a window into the virtual world of the legends who he was competing against.”

Four of the living, breathing drivers were present for the running of the race, enjoying watching their AI equivalents go wheel to wheel with their fellow champions.

“Ultimately, we developed and showcased an array of innovative technology, AI and augmented reality that made this race a remarkable event,” said Marques.

Then-Williams driver Sargeant climbs in for a lap to remember

Photo by: Williams Racing/Michelob ULTRA

“It was incredibly special to have Nigel Mansel, Alain Prost, Jacques Villeneuve and Jenson Button on the track with us, bringing them back to Silverstone to experience the joy of watching the race together.

“All the drivers involved still have the competitive spirit they showcased throughout their careers, and we saw that firsthand as they gathered to watch the race take place!”
Michelob’s efforts did not go unnoticed by the judging panel for Brand Partnership of the Year at the Autosport Awards.

Kate Bevan, one of the five judges and a former director of Hospitality F1, advisor to the board of More than Equal and Deputy Chair of Europe Sport Integrity Alliance, said: “The activation scored highly on all criteria, it was creative, technically impressive, innovative and fun. It was very F1!”