Watching racers fly around the track, it’s easy to take Formula 1 at face value: the best drivers behind the wheel of the best in driving technology, pushing man and machine to their limits. It’s one of the reasons why the sport is loved by half a billion people across the globe. But looking beyond the track, there’s a huge amount of preparation that goes into a Grands Prix.
To make F1 happen, teams bring a whole host of items with them to ensure they can overcome whatever hurdles lady luck throws their way. In this article, find out how and what they bring along.
How do F1 teams transport everything to their next race?
Most of the equipment for the races is taken either by plane or road freight depending on the location of the next event. Cars, parts, and equipment are boxed up and carefully loaded on raised platforms, then placed within the lorry or freight aircraft for transport.
This isn’t a quick process as teams have a huge amount of often delicate equipment and vehicles to load up – check out the process for Sauber F1.
What does F1 teams bring to races?
There is a long list of items that teams need to bring to races – according to DHL, in 2018, on average each team brought 40 to 50 tons of freight with them to each race!
The Cars
First, the cars themselves. Given there are two drivers in a team, two vehicles are transported, loaded in a way that protects them from any potential bumps or turbulence when being moved. Once upon a time teams used to bring along multiple backup cars, though advancements in parts and tools mean that teams can now rely on spares, which are coincidentally easier to pack and transport.
Parts
Spare parts are incredibly important. If teams don’t have the parts they need to hand, then drivers could find themselves out of the running. As such, teams bring so many parts that, if required, an entirely new car could be built. That’s alongside around 40 sets of tyres, 2,500L of fuel, 200L of oil, and 90L of coolant, per race, according to research by Essentially Sports.
Equipment
Tools and equipment to service the various parts packed will also need bringing, but that’s not all. Depending on the location of the race, equipment requirements will differ. If it’s going to be colder weather, then the team may need to wrap up more and require heaters. Is it going to be extremely warm, then air conditioning units from suppliers like RS and clothing like branded T-shirts and shorts are necessities!
Crew
Then there’s the most important cargo of all – the crew! F1 teams number around 20 people in the pit, but teams can number between 300 and 1,200 people in total. Many of those people will need housing – either in the team’s motorhome, or in local hotels and guesthouses.
F1 is as much about the logistics as the racing! What do you think about F1 logistics? Share this article and let us know your thoughts!