Top teams are pushing to allow more staff to travel to F1 racess.
Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport reports that, under the current cost limiting agreement, a maximum of 47 people per team can be assigned for the actual operation of the cars at Grands Prix.
“Red Bull wants the number increased to 65,” read the report. “McLaren is calling for 57. Only Sauber and Mercedes want to keep the number at 47.”
A limit is also in place for the maximum number of factory-based staff, but Bild newspaper said most teams have been “really creative” to break that limit.
“McLaren has seconded personnel to Force India and Virgin. Ferrari technicians are used for the care of historic racing cars. Red Bull has hired specialists from outside”, said the German newspaper.
Auto Motor und Sport also revealed the extent to which teams are pushing the envelope in other areas.
At the Nurburgring, for example, the FIA had to tell Ferrari and Force India to embroider the FIA safety information on the collar of the drivers’ overalls, rather than have it printed on.
An FIA official was quoted as supposing that the teams were “fighting for every gram” of weight-saving.
Source: GMM
