Here’s How F1 Teams Plan for 23 Races

In this week’s email:

• Here’s How Teams Plan for 23 Races: 23 races, 20 countries, 5 continents

• Michelin Doesn’t Want Their Tires in F1: They don’t create tires that destroy themselves

• Audi Major F1 Progress & Driver Speculation: Could we see Vettel unretire?

• Meme of the Week: Nico Sniping

Here’s How Teams Plan for 23 Races

Being a global sport makes it a logistical nightmare

Joe Pompliano did a mega thread on Twitter about how teams navigate the 23 races. Let’s breakdown it down.

There are 23 races in 20 countries and teams must utilize land, air, and sea for transportation. The races can be divided into two categories, European races, and flyaway races.

European races happen in… Europe, therefore teams can use trucks to transport, which leads to lower costs. There are nine of these races at places like Monaco, Monza, Silverstone, and Spa to name a few. Teams arrive a week early and their transportation crews unload 27 trucks in 5 days to be ready for Wednesday. For the races, the teams will actually bring entire buildings with them since transportation is easier and cheaper.

Red Bull has a 13,000 SF three-story motorhome outfitted with offices, an outdoor deck, and a private chef. Only takes 25 people 36 hours to put together 🤯.

The races that happen in Europe do have some downsides though. This occurs when there are back-to-back weekends of racing. Crews get a whopping 3 days to take it down, transport it, and rebuild it. Talk about having some tight deadlines. Teams will literally work 24/7 to get the job done, they even have multiple truck drivers so there is no stopping for rest. There are seven back-to-back races and some aren’t even in Europe.

Let’s take a look at the flyaway races. At the beginning of each season, teams prepare 4-5 kits comprising three 40-foot shipping containers filled with essential equipment like jacks, trolleys, chairs, and tables. These kits are transported via a leapfrog pattern by boat from one flyaway race destination to the next throughout the season. Huh?

For the 2023 season, initial kits are sent to Bahrain, Australia, Azerbaijan, and Miami.

• Bahrain's kit serves Saudi, Singapore, and Brazil

• Australia's is used in Japan

• Azerbaijan's kit travels to Qatar and Abu Dhabi

• Miami's kit covers Canada, Austin, Mexico, and Las Vegas

By doing it this way, teams are able to save on transportation costs since traveling by boat is cheaper than by air. You can check out this video for a visual.

One of the most grueling back-to-backs is the Las Vegas GP to Abu Dhabi GP. Teams face an 8,200-mile journey, with 20+ hours on a plane and an 11-hour time difference. This demanding stretch is challenging on drivers, who often endure 3-5 days of jet lag and employ various strategies to adapt, including limiting light exposure and adjusting workouts. For night races like Singapore, drivers even shift their entire schedule from 1 pm to 6 am to acclimatize.

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Michelin Doesn’t Want Their Tires in F1

Michelin declines Formula 1 tire supply opportunity for 2025-2028

French tire manufacturer Michelin has announced that it has no interest in returning to Formula 1 as a tire supplier. CEO Florent Menegaux revealed that the company and the FIA have differing views on the ideal racing tire for the sport. Michelin last supplied tires to F1 in 2006, with Pirelli taking over as the sole supplier since then.

The FIA recently opened the process for tire supply from 2025 to 2028, but Michelin immediately withdrew. Menegaux stated in an interview with The Drive that they are not interested in producing tires that "destroy themselves" for the sake of the show. Michelin believes that teams should capitalize on tire performance throughout a race and that drivers should be able to perform at their maximum without worrying about tire degradation.

Menegaux emphasized that Michelin's primary focus in racing is to test and develop new technology, with brand awareness and entertainment being secondary benefits. As Michelin is already a well-known brand globally, the company does not feel compelled to re-enter the Formula 1 tire market.

Audi Major F1 Progress & Driver Speculation

Audi has recently unveiled their Formula 1 project at the Auto Shanghai motor exhibition

Audi plans to launch in the 2026 season and aims to test their engine before the end of the year.

Audi CEO Markus Duesmann emphasized the significance of motorsport to Audi's DNA at the event, stating that entering F1 would bolster the company's sporting focus. Oliver Hoffmann, a Board Member for Technical Development at Audi, provided details on the project's progress and development timeline for the 2026 vehicle.

Hoffmann revealed that the Audi F1 project has advanced significantly in recent months, with the power unit concept being developed for the 2026 drivetrain. The team is focusing on details like materials and manufacturing technologies, as well as energy management for the hybrid drivetrain.

In addition to technology development, Audi has also made strides in assembling a capable team for the project. Operating under Audi Formula Racing GmbH, they have brought together a 260-strong workforce at their Neuburg facility. This group consists of experienced Audi and Audi Sport employees, as well as externally recruited Formula 1 experts. The team is expected to grow to over 300 by year's end 🚀.

While no drivers have been confirmed for the 2026 launch, several names have been rumored, including a potential return for former world champion Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari's Carlos Sainz. Mick Schumacher was also mentioned, but Audi has since denied this.

The Neuburg facility is currently being upgraded and expanded to accommodate F1 requirements. New test rigs are planned for construction in the latter half of 2023 to support power unit development.

Audi's progress has been well-received by the FIA. Though it will be three years before the Audi F1 car hits the track, early indicators suggest a strong commitment to the project and an eye-catching livery.

Meme of the Week