FORUMula1.com - F1 Forum

[vegas]

Anyone else ever wonder how the 11 race teams transport from continent to continent in 2 weeks? Too slow to travel by sea. Only a limited type of cargo aircraft can transport trucks and trailers of that size. Do they have multiple trucks position on multiple continents, and only air transport the teams and cars? Anyone seen any documentaries on this operation?

[McLaren Fan]

This was explained on Inside Track when they did a tape in the early '90s about McLaren and Senna. Basically, most of the stuff is flown to country of the Grand Prix before being loaded onto a lorry and driven to the track, where the stuff is assembled by the team members. After the Grand Prix, the stuff is loaded onto lorries and flown back to base or to the next Grand Prix. That's as much detail as I know. I cannot explain why, for instance, they have official team lorries at tracks when surely they could not be driven from a team's base. My best guess is that they send the lorries ahead to the various airports to meet the stuff coming off the planes.

[AKR]

I guess this is why F1 costs a lot of $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ to run.

[McLaren Fan]

I guess this is why F1 costs a lot of $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ to run.

Shh! You'll be giving Mad Max ideas about banning motor homes now, or making them more environmentally friendly.

[7UpJordan]

McLaren and Ferrari's motorhomes are flat-packed like some kind of chair you buy at Ikea.

[Selcouth_Feline]

Have you read this article? http://www.forumula1.com/2007/f1/featur ... ogisitics/


Basically, some of the teams have multiple sets of non-essential equipment (up to three sets) such as tables and chairs (although some teams will hire this equipment from race to race). This means that a lot of the stuff can be shipped by sea which is far cheaper than flying. The only thing that is never sent by sea is the car parts, and that's only because they can change from race to race and it's not practical to send them out in advance.

[McLaren Fan]

McLaren and Ferrari's motorhomes are flat-packed like some kind of chair you buy at Ikea.

McLaren have got a bigger one than Ferrari.

[bud]

i thought they only took those big ones on the european legs of the season and possibly turkey being the only non european event to have the regular gear shipped over the argean sea.

[Martin]

I guess this is why F1 costs a lot of $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ to run.

Shh! You'll be giving Mad Max ideas about banning motor homes now, or making them more environmentally friendly.

Yes very very expensive. Its an aspect of the team that does not get sufficient coverage I think. these are the backroom boys who can cause a major problem for the team if they get it wrong. We hear about the designers, engineers, pit crews and even the marketing people but the logistics role is crucial to the success of the team and involves a lot of people in its own right. I have a friend who used to be responsible for Ensuring all of the right parts and equipment were delivered to every race for McL. He had nightmares as you can imagine, add to that an urgent 'phone call for something to be shipped out in time for the race the next day, which did happen several times.

Perhaps Max would say that they could have a maximum of 4 caravans, 1 x portaloo and 1 toolbox per car - that would save money!

[texasmr2]

McLaren and Ferrari's motorhomes are flat-packed like some kind of chair you buy at Ikea.

McLaren have got a bigger one than Ferrari.

I knew if I waited for it long enough my prediction would come true !

[vegas]

Have you read this article? http://www.forumula1.com/2007/f1/featur ... ogisitics/

Thanks that enlightens the mystery for me. I really like learning about stuff like this and don't know why its not brought up or mentioned more. Still would love to see a documentary on this.

[vegas]

I found this picture entitled "Paranoia has set in at Ferrari. A mechanic does an hourly check for Ron Dennis under the Ferrari motorhome…" and really made me laugh

[texasmr2]

He's saying "Ron come on out from there and honestly I wont tell Max but I will have to give you a thorough frisking ole mate, just let me know what pub, the time and how many lassie's I'll have entertaining me'!

[McLaren Fan]

He's saying "Ron come on out from there and honestly I wont tell Max but I will have to give you a thorough frisking ole mate, just let me know what what pub, the time and how many lassie's I'll have entertaining me'!

[texasmr2]

Yah I was funning around and that's a really unfair thing to say abount RD although via RD's christmas card's he has one of the greatest sense's of humor in F1, god know's it's not Sir Frank !