THE F1 COVID THREAD: Will GP be cancelled?

[bella]

it depends what it is.

heavy, relatively low cost stuff has four or sometimes five duplicates. those travel by sea. core stuff eg toolboxes, spares, engines, tubs, perhaps radio kit and some garage kit will all travel by air.

what doesn’t help (perhaps not focussed on f1) is that often the series organises the freight for all, so teams are unable to fully control their own shipments. you end up with a choice of sea or air, and no option to pick a particular route that’s quicker but more expensive.

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by bella

it depends what it is.

heavy, relatively low cost stuff has four or sometimes five duplicates. those travel by sea. core stuff eg toolboxes, spares, engines, tubs, perhaps radio kit and some garage kit will all travel by air.

what doesn’t help (perhaps not focussed on f1) is that often the series organises the freight for all, so teams are unable to fully control their own shipments. you end up with a choice of sea or air, and no option to pick a particular route that’s quicker but more expensive.

Without doubt the last is true, however teams are free to fly bits and pieces out at there own expense, as has been done a number of times in the past. If my memory serves me right, didn't Mercedes once "borrow" Hamilton's plane to fly back to the UK to pick up some parts that were needed by the team when they were, if I remember correctly, in the Middle East.

But the system works in the favour of the teams, sometimes. For example, I can't remember which team it was, but their equipment didn't turn up in time for one of the test sessions this year due to the freighter going technical and they lost a half day of the test. The FIA then granted them extra time at the end of the 3 days as they were responsible for the chartering of the aircraft not the teams.

[bella]

yeah obviously there’s new parts and spares that are flown out as hold baggage by staff. that’s on a totally different scale to several large airfreight containers or a 44ft shipping container though.

losing a full day’s testing and having more limited time to turn the car around overnight doesn’t count as an advantage of late freight though! motogp recently had to restructure an entire weekend because of late incoming freight and that shafted everybody not just the teams involved.

[1969MGCGTdriver]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

Without doubt the last is true, however teams are free to fly bits and pieces out at there own expense, as has been done a number of times in the past. If my memory serves me right, didn't Mercedes once "borrow" Hamilton's plane to fly back to the UK to pick up some parts that were needed by the team when they were, if I remember correctly, in the Middle East.

But the system works in the favour of the teams, sometimes. For example, I can't remember which team it was, but their equipment didn't turn up in time for one of the test sessions this year due to the freighter going technical and they lost a half day of the test. The FIA then granted them extra time at the end of the 3 days as they were responsible for the chartering of the aircraft not the teams.

Haas was the team that got caught out with the shipping delays.

[chillibowl]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

...however teams are free to fly bits and pieces out at there own expense, as has been done a number of times in the past. If my memory serves me right, didn't Mercedes once "borrow" Hamilton's plane to fly back to the UK to pick up some parts that were needed by the team when they were, if I remember correctly, in the Middle East.

do we know how this works under the budget cap?

with a few notable exemptions, my understanding is that the cap covers areas surrounding the performance of the cars and i would suspect the last minute arrival of parts via expensive transport options is an area that would very much fall under performance and thus falls under the cap?

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

I'm always very suspicious of anything that Mr Horner says and often wonder what the real issue is that he's hiding behind his story.
Although I can see the possibility of problems I'm also wondering if he's angling towards a raising of the budget cap as he is also mentioning the increased costs. (Let's face it, they've already had a few expensive engine failures this season. )

also this.

a) whats the real angle and b) anytime increased costs are mentioned then it has to be budget cap related right?

[ScotsBrutesFan]

In the past, members of the various UK broadcasters of the day, have carried parts in hand luggage for teams.

Not sure they would get away with that these days

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

I'm always very suspicious of anything that Mr Horner says and often wonder what the real issue is that he's hiding behind his story.
Although I can see the possibility of problems I'm also wondering if he's angling towards a raising of the budget cap as he is also mentioning the increased costs. (Let's face it, they've already had a few expensive engine failures this season. )

Freight delays and costs are a genuine concern at the moment - although it is possible that current delays and costs MAY ease through the year, depending on which logistics view you take.

This article in Autosport before the Oz GP has information from DHL on steps taken to ensure that team gear got to Melbourne and also the eye-watering cost increase.

This article in Autosport quotes Gunther Steiner saying similar things to what Horner is saying now.

I think that it's a very real concern, both from a cost perspective and also a time-risk perspective. Horner merely the latest to either be asked about it and respond or to identify the potential issue.

[S griffin]

Hopefully it won't be too much of a problem and it will pass over soon. They've navigated temporary problems in the past, like with the volcanic ash cloud in 2010

[Peter Mallett]

There is a world wide logistics problem that won't go away quickly. We tend to think in terms of seafreight but air cargo is also impacted by the effects of covid and the cost of energy.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Tourer

Freight delays and costs are a genuine concern at the moment - although it is possible that current delays and costs MAY ease through the year, depending on which logistics view you take.

This article in Autosport before the Oz GP has information from DHL on steps taken to ensure that team gear got to Melbourne and also the eye-watering cost increase.

This article in Autosport quotes Gunther Steiner saying similar things to what Horner is saying now.

I think that it's a very real concern, both from a cost perspective and also a time-risk perspective. Horner merely the latest to either be asked about it and respond or to identify the potential issue.

Horner's warning is about freight delays affecting F1 later in the season because of a complicated calendar, with some of the triple-headers, and double-headers coming up late in the year.

As that Motorsport article says: ''the second half of the campaign is especially compact because of the need to finish the championship before the football World Cup begins in Qatar in November.''

[crmalcolm]

I recall reading that it will mean teams have to adjust their approach to upgrades - as opposed to pushing for an increase in the budget cap.

The usual approach from teams has been to develop upgrades right up to the last point possible, and then move these parts using a rapid freight to the track, arriving just before FP1 (a true example of just-in-time distribution). With the current uncertainty of freight options, teams may have to balance the risk of more development time against a potential delay in delivery - and cut the development earlier than they normally would have to ensure the upgrades reach the circuit in time.

[Greem]

Just read this morning that both of the FIA Formula 1 race directors have tested positive for COVID.

That has interesting ramifications...

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by Greem

Just read this morning that both of the FIA Formula 1 race directors have tested positive for COVID.

That has interesting ramifications...

Wow - wonder if the isolation period will end in time to get on the plane to Miami?

Maybe Herbie will have to do it himself or maybe - well, could be anything couldn't it?

Edit: Story here from Motorsport.com Appears that Herbie may in fact be the best choice. Can't imagine Masi doing it again after the way the winter played out.

[S griffin]

Not good for Miami. They better hope he can make it or Herbie can do it on his own. But it's far from ideal this happening. Although I wouldn't completely rule out Masi right now...

[chillibowl]

i hope they are ok and the races are not affected.

but that said, i would have thought part of the inherent benefit of having 2 RDs and more support staff etc, now because of covid but more so because the calendar is getting longer, that these two (effectively two sets of staff) are moving around the globe independently from each other in a way that would have seen one group in Miami two weeks ago and able to complete a quarantine cycle in case one of them did test positive?

maybe they did, i dont know, but if you are out there calling this a Super Bowl level event and you dont have your officiating crew sorted out then just maybe you are not ready for the big show?

over reaction on my part perhaps but initial feeling (well initial after concern for their health of course) is that this all seems rather amateurish?

seeing video of them building a fake temporary marina in a parking lot doesnt help matters much either.

[Skam85]

Originally Posted by Greem

Just read this morning that both of the FIA Formula 1 race directors have tested positive for COVID.

That has interesting ramifications...

Hulkenberg to step in surely

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by Skam85

Hulkenberg to step in surely

You just made my day! Brilliant

[Richard C]

Originally Posted by Skam85

Hulkenberg to step in surely

That's pretty good.

Richard