Windows 2.4-Liter: McLaren and Microsoft Officially Team up on ECU for F1

When Formula One drivers round Hockenheim or Sepang or Bahrain in 2008, it'll be under the electronic wing of McLaren and Microsoft. As the two companies announced this week -- though the deal's been known since mid-year -- they've jointly bagged the contract to provide engine control units (ECUs) to all F1 teams starting in 2008. The venture's called "Microsoft MES," and it pairs the pasty geeks from Redmond with the 10-intelligence druids from Woking on the systems, which have the potential to gather 1GB of data during a typical Grand Prix run. It'll probably turn out fine, as long as no one winds up sitting on hold with customer support during a late-race shootout. All that faux-pleasantness can break a man's will in 30 seconds. – Mike Spinelli

McLaren, Microsoft confirm ECU supply [Autosport.com]