Behind the scenes of how Formula 1 groups make each race occur.

The Formula 1 circus in any given 12 months travels to virtually 21 nations throughout 5 continents in a span of 9 months. It’s one sport that has the most important and one of the best logistical planning and execution, as in comparison with every other international sport. No different sport comes near the character of meticulous planning and pin-perfect execution that takes place to placed on a stunning present for its followers.

However what all racing followers see is simply the vehicles and drivers battling on the tracks the world over. Though that’s the principle spectacle, the collective logistics that go into making every race occur, dwarf the efforts of the competitions themselves.

The logistics of shifting the F1 circus between locations is much like a navy operation.

The drivers, crew personnel, media groups, and gear should converge each alternate weekend, by land, air, and sea 1000’s of miles away at exactly the proper time to make every race potential.

Each crew has roughly 100 personnel flying and approx 50–60 tons of cargo to maneuver for each race. And this military of individuals is on the street for as many as 200 days a 12 months.

Every Formula 1 crew travels almost 160,000 km (embody cargo & folks) in these 9 months, which equals touring across the globe 4 instances..!

Warning — Now don’t go about fretting and complaining concerning the affect on international air pollution, local weather change, and so forth. In case you are a kind of inexperienced earth environmentalists, then I’d counsel you don’t learn this text additional, trigger you aren’t going to love what’s coming subsequent. However in the event you do, then don’t inform me, I didn’t warn you.

Let’s Discuss Numbers First

• Over one season, roughly 2000 tons of freight is transported throughout these 21 race places.
• Airfreight constitutes 600 tons, Sea freight approx. 1000 tons and stability 900 tons is moved via street transporters. That is all equal to shifting 300 full-grown elephants each 9 months.
• To haul 600 tons of air freight, you want six to seven Boeing 747 Jumbo cargo planes — about 100 tons per plane.
• To haul 400 tons via the street, as much as 300 vehicles mixed for all groups transfer from nation to nation (largely for the European races). If you happen to put all of them collectively, they might make a convoy longer than 5 kms..!

Now’s the time to whip out your calculator to calculate the environmental affect. And am not even speaking concerning the quantity of fuel that’s used to race the F1 machines on all these 21 tracks, and the fuel consumed by the seven Boeing 747s to ferry the cargo throughout 21 race places. These numbers will most likely blow you off planet Earth for good. (Shall be writing about that in one other article, so watch the area).

Advised you, it’s not for the faint-hearted environmentalist. So, you probably have come this far and nonetheless to learn additional, kudos to you. And that additionally means you aren’t the Ninja Earth Warrior that you just want to suppose you’re. (sorry to burst your bubble)

Now let’s motor on, and see how the hell Formula 1 groups transfer this 2000 tons throughout the globe for 21 sporting occasions spanning 5 continents.

Its All About Planning

A Formula 1 season normally will get over in early December. After just a few weeks of break that the crew personnel take to spend time with their households, they instantly begin planning their logistics in early January. That’s when the official calendar for the season is launched by the FIA. The primary race is held normally 2nd or third week of March.

DHL is the official logistics companion of Formula 1 and it’s tasked with very stringent time pressures and deadlines, which they must make it, it doesn’t matter what. Actually, it doesn’t matter what.

Earlier than we dive into how the crew goes concerning the advanced planning of logistics, it’s necessary to know the definition of “fly-away” and “residence” races.

Historically, all of the F1 races have been held in Europe. These are known as “residence” races. Nevertheless, through the years, the F1 circus began exploring different venues (exterior Europe), 1. to extend the fan base, 2. for industrial causes. These races are known as “fly-away” races. These flyaway races are held in Australia, Malaysia, Japan, China, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, Singapore, USA, Mexico, Canada, and so forth

So after we consult with the complexity of logistics for the Formula 1 groups, it’s largely relevant to those fly-away races. To not say that the logistics of residence races are any straightforward. However the fly-away races have a mix of air, sea, and street, which makes the problem of going to Mars, seem like a stroll within the park.

Important & Non Important Tools

To start out with, each crew segregates the crucial (chassis, engines, tires, wings, computer systems, IT gear, and so forth) and non-critical gadgets (storage & workplace gear, catering materials, PR & advertising materials, and so forth).

It is very important divide the gear into crucial and non-critical, because it presents great flexibility to the groups in how they plan their logistics. It additionally helps the groups to work inside their restricted budgets.

Some top-tier groups have massive budgets and their planning could typically completely different as in comparison with the groups with decrease budgets. For eg, the Mercedes Petronas AMG Formula 1 crew makes use of its personal logistics companion (DB Schenker) to ship its gear for the house races inside Europe.

Non-Important Tools

The non-critical gadgets are packed in particular customized containers after which shipped by boat. Why boat? As a result of it’s low cost, foolish..! Each penny counts in Formula 1, although it could not appear so from the skin once you see the after-parties of the races, particularly the glitzy events of Monaco. Properly, there additionally you see the boats — however the actually costly sorts.

So the place have been we? Yeah — the containers for the non-critical gadgets. Groups normally take three 40 foot containers on common by boat. Since ocean delivery is sluggish and low cost, the groups will put together 5 units of three containers every and ship them out prematurely. Some groups could put together much less variety of containers, relying upon their budgetary spend for that 12 months.

The cargo of non-critical gadgets by sea freight is extremely necessary for the fly-away races.

Fly-Away Races

In January, groups start delivery the 5 units of the Non-critical gear for the primary 5 fly-away races of the season (for eg, Australia, Bahrain, Vietnam, China, and Azerbaijan). After the race in Australia, they’ll pack that set once more and ship it out to, say Canada (it’s the sixth or seventh race of the season). And so they repeat the identical process for the opposite 4 units as nicely.

By doing this, the groups can relaxation assured that each fly-away race may have their set in time.

Again-to-back fly-away races comparable to Singapore and Russia may be essentially the most difficult logistically, as DHL will get solely three days to get all of the gear for all Formula 1 groups over 7,8000 km from Singapore to Sochi. That, coupled with a altering time zone, makes it an especially tight schedule!

At different instances, climate components can lay to waste one of the best laid out plans and throw your entire logistical chain into chaos. The tight turnaround between the Mexican and US Grands Prix in 2018 was virtually derailed by a hurricane that had made landfall in Florida.

The groups’ sea freight which was headed to Mexico was as a result of be delayed till the Thursday earlier than the race — leaving too little time to arrange the garages. DHL needed to suppose rapidly and discover a answer. They took the similar equipment which had been utilized by the groups on the US Grand Prix to Mexico and despatched it by street, as is the norm for the European races, instantly after the Grand Prix, eliminating the necessity for sea freight.

Fast considering was important to make sure that Formula 1 circus at all times arrives not solely on time, however earlier than time.

Important Tools

The crucial gear is mainly the automotive. Earlier than transporting, the automotive is normally stripped down (not the total monty). Simply the engine, gearbox, mirrors, suspension components, the entrance, and rear wings are eliminated. Every of those components is then packed in its personal foam slotted field. Some groups go the additional mile and use the nice ol’ bubble wrap as a precautionary measure. The chassis is packed in its personal customized made covers.

Every crew then packs the gear in its personal customized made cargo crates which are designed to optimally fill the area obtainable within the plane’s cargo maintain. All the things is personalized.

All of the groups use the cargo planes, chartered by Formula One Administration (FOM), in partnership with DHL. Contemplating that each one the groups are based mostly in Europe, these planes fly out of Munich & London to wherever the race is being held.

Relying upon the place the races are held (both residence races of fly-away races), the transportation is accordingly deliberate. If the race location is inside Europe, then the truckies get into motion. And if the race location is exterior Europe, then the Boeings take-off.

At Dwelling Races

When the Formula 1 groups are racing in Europe, they’ll solely have one week between the races, nevertheless, that is additionally the simplest a part of the entire season. However some residence races have their very own set of challenges.

The transport between races is completed by lengthy haul vehicles. Transport by vehicles is essentially the most cost-effective manner of transport, so the groups can carry rather more gear with them as in comparison with for the far-away races. This consists of the Motorhomes, that are multi-storied constructing constructions for the workers that travels with the groups throughout the European a part of the season.

These motorhomes may be as massive as workplace buildings which have convention rooms, a big kitchen, briefing rooms, and even embody swimming pools.

Redbull Formula 1 Group, rightly calls their motorhome- Power Station

The vehicles are boxed up and transported with all their aerodynamic components eliminated. The vehicles are then positioned on an elevated platform contained in the truck and cushioned as a way to stop any motion or harm. All of the gear required for the race weekend — vehicles, spare components, and instruments are loaded into the vehicles.

Successfully, every Formula 1 crew carries sufficient spare components to rebuild their vehicles, 40 units of tires, 2,500 liters of fuel, 200 liters of motor oil, and 90 liters of coolant. Tyres, fuel & different gear are transported individually by native companions and technical contractors.

The logistical operation can attain stratospherical ranges when there’s a triple header (3 races on three consecutive weekends) in Europe. The groups typically must cowl a 1,600 km journey between the Red Bull Ring in Austria and Silverstone within the UK inside 3 days, together with set-up and breakdown time.

Every truck is manned by three drivers to make sure the cargo by no means stops shifting. They don’t take any relaxation breaks and solely stop for refueling.

Each second is essential and shedding an excessive amount of time can have simply as disastrous impact as shedding time throughout the race itself. Truckers are the actual heroes.

Each crew additionally paints their vehicles of their model colours and sponsors’ liveries, which presents a large alternative for branding when the vehicles journey 1000’s of miles inside Europe to move the vehicles, gear, and instruments to the race places.

All of the groups, apart from Haas Racing have their residence base positioned in Europe (moreover has a base in the UK), so all their races are fly-away races, apart from the US Grand Prix (Okay, let’s add Canadian Grand Prix as nicely).

And Haas Racing will not be a big-budget F1 crew, so it has to function with very restricted budgets and nonetheless present up on time with all its gear for all of the fly-away races. Now, that’s a powerful Formula 1 crew.

Showdown At The Race Monitor

The groups additionally pack precedence cargo for every Grand Prix, which incorporates all of the necessities to get the garages up and operating, comparable to IT gear, storage partitions, and so forth. Every crew will get 3 precedence containers from DHL. These three containers are despatched by air to the race venue. All the opposite supplies are transported the following Monday morning by Boeing 747’s.

These arrive on the subsequent circuit first on Tuesday (race weekend begins on Friday and lasts till Sunday night).

On Tuesday all of the precedence supplies (gear that the crew might want to set-up up their garages and motorhomes)and sea containers are dropped at the paddock by the Formula 1 logistics crew and positioned earlier than the devoted pit-boxes (simply exterior the allotted storage).

The Formula 1 regulation says that the groups aren’t allowed to the touch their cargo till all containers for all groups are positioned on the devoted places. This to ensure that all groups have the identical period of time to start out organising their garages, motorhomes, and vehicles.

On Wednesday the paddock is closed once more whereas all the opposite containers arrive, together with the vehicles themselves. At that second the groups are once more not allowed to the touch something till the whole lot for all groups has arrived. On Wednesday night all of the groups have an operational storage and may begin constructing the automotive.

By Wednesday afternoon, the whole lot within the pit-lane and paddock is absolutely operational and prepared for media day on Thursday.

Packing Begins Earlier than The Lights Go Off

Lastly, let’s take a look at how the vehicles get packed and shipped from the second after the race. In an effort to meet stringent timeline pressures, the crew begins packing the gear on Sunday earlier than the race itself.

As per F1 laws and the complexity of repairing the vehicles throughout the race, some spare components can’t be modified throughout the race weekend. These are largely the gearbox or an engine, so these are packed up even earlier than the race begins. So in about 3–5 hours after the race, the crew is fairly far with packing all the opposite gear and the whole lot is often gone from the race observe.

The automotive is totally stripped down and every element is positioned in its personal foam slot, typically after being wrapped with bubble wrap as an additional precaution. If it’s not a back-to-back race then the vehicles are flown again to the manufacturing facility to be checked over and repainted.

The roads to and from the airports are additionally checked to make sure there aren’t any obstacles to a clean journey alongside any native customs quirks or every other points that should be ironed out.

When there are solely three days between the conclusion of the race on Sunday and the entire circus beginning up once more the following Thursday, it requires meticulous planning and group from all people concerned to ensure that the whole lot arrives on the proper place on the proper time and is accessible in the proper order to have your entire paddock prepared for the following occasion.

This implies there isn’t any time to lose for the groups; when the drivers are celebrating a profitable race by champagne showers, the remainder of the crew are dismantling the race automotive at most pace to organize it for transportation.

Typically, customs checks are carried out on the circuits themselves quite than on the airports, as a way to pace issues up.

Then all of the packed gear is handed over to DHL, which has to get the whole lot to the following metropolis on time. Truly, it has to get there earlier than time.

Closing Ideas

The character of Formula One makes good planning inconceivable. As race day approaches, groups inevitably make modifications to their vehicles or discover themselves in want of a spare half left at their residence base. One thing at all times comes up on the final minute, and so they must be ready as typical. Nothing is left to probability.

The second a late order is available in from any of the F1 groups, DHL dispatches somebody to satisfy it and get it on the following aircraft out. Even last-minute requests may be delivered to the observe inside 24 to 36 hours.

In F1, the place the whole lot is measured in thousandths of a second, so the groups are at all times in search of methods to save lots of time.

They could have the best-looking racing machines, one of the best motorhomes to celebration, one of the best motels to remain. However one factor that they don’t have in abundance is time. And that’s why planning is essentially the most essential factor for F1 groups.

They plan, plan, and plan, and therefore the execution is so flawless that there has by no means been even a single occasion when the automotive has failed to achieve the race observe. Formula 1 groups together with DHL and all their transportation companions ensures that each single race is delivered to all their followers on time.

Come hail or storm, Formula 1 groups motor on.