Written by: Ryan Wood on Friday 11th June 2010, 12:38
Formula One, a logistical nightmare
Here's a quick article to put the logistical side of Formula One into some (almost) understandable numbers.
It's a massive task getting 12 teams worth of gear, as well as the FIA's and FOM's equipment to each race on the calendar. But how do they do it? And just how much is there?
Well, in total there is around 350 tonne's, that's just under 5,000 
average weight humans (70kg) or 65 African elephants (5.4t), worth of freight from five countries; the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Spain and Switzerland to an overseas race, such as that of the season opener in Bahrain, over 5,000 km (3,150 miles) away?
Now, imagine having to do that several times a year. It's quite an undertaking and something the Formula One travelling circus has to do for the several flyaway races on the calendar.
F1's official logistics partner, DHL, manage to get over 20,000 items of equipment,
ranging from the smaller items to cater for VIP guests such as; serviettes and champagne, to the larger items such as; engines, gearboxes and the cars themselves, from Europe to Bahrain, Australia, China, Canada, Japan, Brazil and many more locations spread all over the globe.
It takes an army of people, a small fleet of 747's, five in fact, that's
enough to carry over 2,500 people in an economy layout, 35 container units plus a ship to get them from A to B, multiple trucks and even the odd helicopter for any late arrivals.
The teams also have their own trucks which travel to the races. These include engineering workshops, meeting rooms, technical offices as well as their impressive motor-homes which dominate the paddock area.
These custom built motor-homes aren't what you'd find in any old campsite. They take days to construct and then de-construct after the race 
before moving onto the next location. They feature all the latest mod-cons, for example, the Force India motor-home has voice-recognition entry which automatically recognises who you are and prepares your preferred drink on entry. The Red Bull structure even has its own swimming pool for those oh-so hard to gain access to pool parties.
Once it's all over, it all needs to be repacked in a couple of days for the next race in yet another country. Quite an undertaking, yes, but a vital part of a sport which is truly global.
(Figures provided by DHL)
I bet it's pretty expensive to hog five planes for every flyaway race!