Because this project was realized as a collaboration between Lenovo and the world’s fastest sport, Formula 1.

Through this project, which brought together Nagaya’s dream about F1, the desire of F1 to convey the appeal of the world’s fastest sport to as many as possible, and our own desire at Lenovo to deliver our technology to even more people, we ultimately made a big contribution to raising F1’s profile.

Formula 1 is the pinnacle of motorsports, with over 500 million fans worldwide. Yet only 1% of people are able to experience its speed and sound up close. It’s a sport which only a handful of people have the opportunity to enjoy. In Japan, it takes place far from the cities, and as it is no longer broadcast on television, interest is fading.

Lenovo is proud to have the largest market share in the PC world but our brand image is shallow in Japan. It is imperative that we elevate our brand image while also remaining passionate about F1 in the country. In 2022, we became an official partner of Formula 1 and became the title sponsor of the F1 Japanese Grand Prix in 2023. Even now, our technology is being used in F1 venues.

As an official technology partner of F1, Lenovo, who became the title sponsor of the Japanese GP in 2023, embarked on an F1 activation aimed at increasing F1 interest and brand enhancement in Japan. They supported a former F3 racer with technology, enabling him to fulfill his dream of driving an F1 car and delivering the F1 experience to everyone.

Unlike soccer or baseball which are well established as forms of entertainment among ordinary people, there is no particular following for F1 and there are many who think it’s a sport only for fanatics and the wealthy. That has very much been the case in Japan in recent years.

By targeting people who may think F1 is a sport that’s not for them, we can convey the corporate strategy of our brand along with the appeal of Formula 1. In Shibuya, we delivered up close the overwhelming sound and impact of one person’s difficult dream coming to fruition in a longed-for drive to ordinary people regardless of age, nationality, or able-bodiedness.

Lenovo met Hirokazu Nagaya, a former F3 driver, who continues to pursue his dream to become a F1 driver, even after an accident in Suzuka leading to lower body paralysis. Inspired by its vision of 'Smarter technology for all,' Lenovo has committed to using its own technology to support his dream. We decided to construct an F1 race right in the heart of Tokyo to fulfill his dream, creating an opportunity for him to race alongside many others there. We designed it to achieve 'Smarter technology for all' by realizing 'Smarter technology for one".

We created a virtual race track through Shibuya, one of the world’s most iconic and diverse city in Japan. Utilizing Mr.Nagaya's driving data, which was recorded using a specially crafted device operable by hand alone, we produced a super-real F1 racing video tearing through Shibuya.​

Utilizing enormous 13-panel screen in Shibuya, the video was broadcasted to create the illusion of Mr.Nagaya's F1 car racing through Shibuya in real-time.​We also released it online and held several events in Shibuya where anyone, regardless of gender or able-bodiedness, could experience the speed and excitement of Formula 1.

This project received exposure across 198 media channels and garnered 10 million impressions on social media for Lenovo F1. Consequently, Lenovo achieved its highest brand reputation score in the past three years, experiencing significant improvement in brand image. Moreover, the number of posts related to Lenovo and F1 surged by 671% compared to the previous year, boosting F1's enthusiasm in Japan and contributing to a record attendance of 220,000 people at the Suzuka Circuit, the highest since the return of the Japanese GP in 2009.