Lap of Legends visualized data through the physical and virtual worlds.

We turned Logan Sargeant’s real-time racing data into a language that his computerized racing opponents could understand through AI and machine learning.

This was the first-ever real-vs.-virtual F1 race. Logan Sargeant drove a real car on a real track against AR avatars of his childhood racing heroes. We conveyed Logan’s physical movements to the virtual avatars via real-time data; the avatars processed this data via machine learning and responded in the race in real time via AI.

Once again, breaking the boundaries of sports.

Michelob ULTRA is a beer that is available for purchase, Lap of Legends is a TV show that is available to watch via AMC, BBC America, and Roku, and the technology behind Lap of Legends is not available for purchase.

Michelob ULTRA believes that playing and watching sports is only worth it if you enjoy it. But unfortunately, F1 racing, the world’s fastest-growing sport, is becoming so pressure-packed and hyper-competitive that the life-or-death stakes are outweighing the joy of racing.

Drivers like Lewis Hamilton, Lando Norris, and Logan Sargeant have publicly opened up about their struggles with the high-stakes intensity of racing culture.

Especially Logan Sargeant. He’s the first American F1 driver in 30 years. It’s one of the highest honors in racing today, but it also comes with even higher stakes in a hyper-competitive league like F1.

And the intensity extends beyond the drivers themselves. Their crew members, their fans, and the journalists who cover them all now understand that each race feels like a fight to stay alive in the racing world. The competition has become more existential.

So as the league works to alleviate this pressure, we aim to rekindle the joy that shaped F1 racing in the 20th and early 21st centuries.

Michelob ULTRA is a low-calorie beer that believes in joy as an essential component of an active lifestyle. You should be able to be physically active AND enjoy a beer afterward.

Our brand platform, “It’s Only Worth It If You Enjoy It,” has brought this belief to life in groundbreaking and culturally relevant ways over the last few years, addressing issues such as burnout, fans being shut out of games during COVID lockdowns, accessibility, and more. Our cultural relevance in sports has helped us become the #1-selling beer in the U.S.

But with millions of marketing dollars spent each year, competition never ends in the beer category.

So, to continue growing our sales, we needed to remind athletes and fans of the world’s fastest-growing sport — F1 racing — that joy is an essential component of an active lifestyle.

We designed Lap of Legends, the first-ever real-vs.-virtual F1 race, to remind the world of a crucial truth: the intensity of racing should be enjoyable, not overpowering.

We put Logan Sargeant, a Williams Racing driver, in a real car on a real track against virtual avatars of the F1 legends who inspired his love of racing. These retired racers’ joy served as an inspiring counterbalance to the hyper-competitive pressure of F1 today.

And we did it all through AR, AI machine learning, and telemetry, using tech to quite literally change the game of F1 racing and create the first sporting event that spanned different dimensions of reality.

By changing the game itself, we changed the way everyone enjoys the game.

We used real-time data, AI, AR, machine learning, and telemetry to reimagine racing for Logan Sargeant and the world of F1.

Logan raced in his car on a track — like he normally would — at Silverstone, home of the British Grand Prix. But his digitized opponents appeared as augmented reality avatars in his racing helmet and on-screen. With the help of AI, the avatars processed each of Logan’s driving moves as a collection of data points, alongside 45 years of pre-programmed racing data, which all informed each virtual opponent’s subsequent reaction.

We first previewed Lap of Legends at the United States Grand Prix in October 2023, and at premiere events around the U.S. in early 2024. Then, the full program aired on AMC and BBC America in spring 2024, interspersed with stories of Logan’s personal journey through joy and pressure.

Lap of Legends is still in its promotional phase. But the success of the promo shows another cultural relevance juggernaut in the making:

4.5 billion impressions and 19 million viewers across platforms

+1,650% month-over-month growth in organic search for Michelob ULTRA

+23% month-over-month growth in social reach for Michelob ULTRA

100% positive/neutral press coverage

And we’re making a lasting impact beyond the race.

The tech behind Lap of Legends makes AR devices more accurate and functional in fast-moving vehicles. This will make a crucial difference for ambulances during medical emergencies, disaster response teams during extreme weather events, and more.

Not to mention, we pioneered a new entertainment media format. Rather than advertising alongside sports, we created the sports event ourselves and other brands advertised alongside our event.

From live events to impossible technology, we continue to change the world with the joy of sports.