FORUMula1.com - F1 Forum

[McLaren Fan]

From F1 Live:

McLaren will begin rotating staff members on its travelling race team next year due to the absence of the August break on the provisional 2009 calendar.

The sport is currently in the three-week break between the Hungarian and European Grand Prix, which coincides with a summer test ban.

But even though the pause was designed to give respite on the ever-expanding F1 calendars of today, it will not appear in 2009, despite the addition of one more race next year.

McLaren boss Ron Dennis is a staunch supporter of a break he deems 'essential' for travelling team members including mechanics.

"They don't get the right amount of time with their families and this gives them an opportunity to have at least one week where they are not at the office or workshops," he is quoted as saying by CNN.

"It's a key ingredient of keeping people motivated and happy when you are addressing the calendar, which makes next year's difficult for them.

"We will have to accommodate that by rotating people. They will not be expected to go right through the season," Dennis revealed.

Source: GMM
© CAPSIS International

[texasmr2]

That is good really good new's now I can sleep well tonight knowing that!

[8-ball]

Are the mechanics of teams members of any unions? Most Unions i know would never accept only 3 weeks holiday a year for their members

[Rivelution]

I dont know why some people are complaining about not having a break next year. Man I would never want to take a break from F1, that would be like taking a holiday from.... a holiday!

[Kiwi_Chris]

Ron : Ok guys who wants to take a trip to Valencia and work on some of the most sophisticated race cars in the world for a weekend and get paid for it

Mechanics : i dunno seems kinda harsh having to go to all these places without a three week break.

I know the road crew work hard, god knows they are the backbone of the whole operation but you know what you are getting into when you sign up to work for these teams and anyway a lot of the road crew will get time off over the winter im sure.
Its a lot of races but hell if they need someone to unload trucks and help setup id do it for half the pay- hell id do it for nothing

[Rivelution]

Its a lot of races but hell if they need someone to unload trucks and help setup id do it for half the pay- hell id do it for nothing

So would I.

[darwin dali]

Don't give them teams any ideas - you wouldn't want people get fired and replaced by cheap laborers!

[juggles]

I wouldn't begrudge the workers one extra week in the middle if they really need it. Offer them the choice of taking an extra week off in summer or during the main break at the end of the season.

[McLaren Fan]

I'm surprised and pretty disgusted at some of the hostility directed towards a Formula 1 team's travelling staff. Working in Formula 1 may seem glamourous, but it's not as if the travelling staff are going to the parties etc. the drivers and teams' top brass are. Those travelling with the team have families and friends who want to see them and I'm sure the staff want to see their families as well. Further, as much as you may love doing something, you do need a break from it from time to time to clear your head. In doing so, you'll return what it is you like feeling refreshed and ready to give it your all.

[Kiwi_Chris]

I'm surprised and pretty disgusted at some of the hostility directed towards a Formula 1 team's travelling staff. Working in Formula 1 may seem glamourous, but it's not as if the travelling staff are going to the parties etc. the drivers and teams' top brass are. Those travelling with the team have families and friends who want to see them and I'm sure the staff want to see their families as well. Further, as much as you may love doing something, you do need a break from it from time to time to clear your head. In doing so, you'll return what it is you like feeling refreshed and ready to give it your all.

There are many other proffessions with similar working enviroments that dont get breaks in the middle of the year. At the end of the day you should have an idea of what the job entails and the type of hours you will be doing before you join. Im not saying its easy on the pple or their familys but at the same time if you know that there is racing every two weeks in F1 and you are driving a truck to the european races you will know that you will spend a lot of time away from home.
Maybe im being a bit harsh but at the end of the day thats one of the downsides to working in motorsport.
If i took a job as part of a crew for F1, WRC or A1gp i would have to be sure that my family accepts the fact that i would be away from home a lot during the season.
Thats not being hostile thats being realistic

[texasmr2]

The mechanic's and roadcrew's are the most under appreciated aspect's of any race team and need a well deserved break, good on Ron for recognizing that .

[scotty]

Whaddya know, Dennis isn't as much of a tyrant as i thought.

It's totally unresonable to expect anyone to sacrifice their real life for their job imo, and that is regardless of the job!

[racechick]

Whaddya know, Dennis isn't as much of a tyrant as i thought.

It's totally unresonable to expect anyone to sacrifice their real life for their job imo, and that is regardless of the job!

Yep RD has his faults but basically he's not a baddie guy. He has strong moral values and he sticks by them even if that causes problems for him.
He's seen his own private life wrecked through his job (that was his own choice), but perhaps thats in his mind when he insists his mechanics take a break.

[bud]

McLaren are set to introduce a rotation system next season in order to compensate for the axing of F1's three-week summer break.

The F1 circus usually takes a break in August, which allows for not only the drivers but also the other team personnel who are on the road all the time to head back home.

However, next year with the extending of the calendar to include 19 grands prix, the August break has fallen by the wayside.

As a result, though, McLaren team boss Ron Dennis says he will introduce a rotation system that allows team personnel time at home.

Dennis told CNN: "This break is absolutely essential for all the people who travel.

"They don't get the right amount of time with their families and this gives them an opportunity to have at least one week where they are not at the office or workshop.

"It's a key ingredient of keeping people motivated and happy when you are addressing the calendar, which makes next year's difficult for them.

"We will have to accommodate that by rotating people. They will not be expected to go right through the season."

[texasmr2]

McLaren are set to introduce a rotation system next season in order to compensate for the axing of F1's three-week summer break.

The F1 circus usually takes a break in August, which allows for not only the drivers but also the other team personnel who are on the road all the time to head back home.

However, next year with the extending of the calendar to include 19 grands prix, the August break has fallen by the wayside.

As a result, though, McLaren team boss Ron Dennis says he will introduce a rotation system that allows team personnel time at home.

Dennis told CNN: "This break is absolutely essential for all the people who travel.

"They don't get the right amount of time with their families and this gives them an opportunity to have at least one week where they are not at the office or workshop.

"It's a key ingredient of keeping people motivated and happy when you are addressing the calendar, which makes next year's difficult for them.

"We will have to accommodate that by rotating people. They will not be expected to go right through the season."