BT and Williams Martini Racing close to inking tech partnership
LUIS Alvarez, the boss of BT Global Service, was revving up for the telecoms giant’s new partnership with the Williams Martini Racing Formula One team yesterday.
The pair worked together on a pilot scheme last season and now plan to collaborate in the spheres of communications expertise, technology and consulting services.
The benefits of the tie-up, which is subject to final agreement, aims to include improved car performance, quicker pitstop practice and race video analysis and improved performance and reliability.
■ Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher was among those recognised as inspirational philanthropists last night at the ninth annual Beacon Awards. Carragher and musician and film director Ben Drew, also known as Plan B, were among 17 recipients of honorary fellowships. Collectively, the 17 Beacon Fellows have donated well over £300m to philanthropic causes across a mix of local organisations, large institutions as well as grassroots charities.
■ Japan’s super-fast magnetic levitation (maglev) train smashed the world speed record for a train yesterday, clocking a huge 603kmph (377mph) in a test run. The train hovers four inches above the rails to decrease friction and increase speed, and was able to maintain that phenomenally high velocity for 11 seconds, beating the Chinese high speed train (302.5mph) as the fastest passenger train. The record speed was achieved near Mount Fuji, and less than a week after Central Japan Railway, the train’s operator, broke its own record by hitting 369mph. It would take the Maglev 1.1 hours to travel from London to Edinburgh and puts HS2 to shame – the closely watched rail line would take 1.4 hours. Worth £50bn isn’t it….