300 tonnes of racing gear reaches Bahrain

MORE THAN 20,000 individual items of specialist racing equipment for teams have been brought in for the F1 event. The items, weighing more than 300 tonnes in total, have been transported by DHL, the official logistics partner for Formula One, to every Grand Prix race.

DHL is responsible for all of the freight movements for the Formula One teams, including the transportation of the racing cars, as well as engines, tyres, spare parts and fuel, in addition to all of the equipment used in the pits, Paddock Club and telecast.

"There are 18 races in 17 countries and we have to move all the team needs for the team races," Middle East commercial director David Wild told the GDN.

"We pack up car parts, camera material and so on and so forth.

"For each Grand Prix, we use 25 to 30 freight aircraft~."

Thirty-five staff members are involved in the planning and transportation of the items, but in total more than 300,000 are involved in the global logistical operation.

On the race day, eight to 15 people alone will work on the track to ensure that the teams get the items they need.

"The team is almost like a Formula One team themselves, it's one of the most demanding logistical challenges, because the race can't start late," said Mr Wild.

"They work all year - during the race season and with race teams planning for next year's programme.

"Since BIC is a fantastic facility and so well-managed and the whole of Bahrain support F1, and it's an extremely well run Grand Prix, things are made easy for us."

For DHL, the F1 preparations started in January and continue 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Throughout the racing season, the 300 tonnes of equipment and material move across six continents and between 18 cities by land, sea and air, to a tightly controlled timetable, to ensure that there is no disruption to the event's calendar.

On average, 20,000 individual items - the smallest being a 1.5mm screw and the largest the car engine itself - are transported for each Formula One race.

DHL also maintains a mobile logistics unit at each racetrack, with an Extra Services Team standing by to meet all of the special requirements and requests for last minute deliveries, from teams, organises and sponsors.

Deliveries to and from the track can be made within 24 hours by express flight, with an on-board courier accompanying packages on some occasions, to expedite customs clearance.

Onward transportation may then also take place by helicopter, to deliver the shipment directly to the circuit.

The 2008 Formula 1 season began on March 16 with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne and will end in Sao Paulo, Brazil in November, with the crowning of a new world champion.

The Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix is the third in a series of 18 races that keep DHL's specialist teams busy throughout the season.

BIC chief executive officer Martin Whitaker said freight for the Grand Prix began arriving in Manama two weeks ago, with the cars and team personnel arriving a week or so before. "There are many hundreds of tons of freight and the majority is flown into the Bahrain International Airport on freighters," said Mr Whitaker.

"This is a seamless and highly organised operation; one that is conducted all over the world."

source: gulf daily news