How does the Formula 1 circus move about continents?

[HumanMonkeyGod]

Do they have their own cargo planes? How many do they need? Do the teams have to take care of their own transport or is that all covered?

[Xema]

The Formula 1 website has this to say:

For the non-European ‘flyaway’ races the logistical effort is considerably more complicated (all Formula One teams being resident in Europe at the moment) as equipment has to be flown out on transport planes. Rather than use conventional aircraft containers, teams have created their own specially designed cargo crates, designed to fill all available space in the planes’ holds. At present most of the teams use cargo planes chartered by Formula One Management (FOM) which fly from London and Munich to wherever the race is being held. In the case of successive flyaway races (such as with the Chinese and Japanese Grands Prix in 2006) there is insufficient time between them to allow the teams’ equipment to be brought ‘home’, meaning direct transit between the two races. This means that considerably more components have to be packed.

As the number of races outside Europe continues to expand, so the logistical effort required to transport the teams and their equipment will expand alongside it. Already the amount of transport required for a season of Formula One has been described, only half-jokingly, as being similar to that needed for a medium-sized military campaign.

Apparently DHL had the air transport contract in 2008, as this site indicates:

Three 747s loaded with up to 300 tons of airfreight and fifty 40ft containers are arriving in Singapore carrying freight for the 2008 Formula 1 Singtel Singapore Grand Prix. Up to 300 tons of material and equipment are transported to each of the overseas races, and an average of 20,000 individual items per race is transported by air…

Throughout the season, DHL works for most of the F1 teams to help manage the freight generated. This includes all racing cars as well as their replacement; parts such as engines, tires, and spare parts; complete gas/petrol requirements and additional freight such as TV equipment, VIP tents for the Paddock Club, computer equipment, laptops, up to 100 radio sets and headphones, right down to paper serviettes for hospitality and 3000 bottles of water. Not forgetting all the useful things that make life in the paddock more convenient and cater to VIP guests – from champagne to the espresso machines and vacuum cleaners.

“Throughout the F1 racing season, DHL moves up to 300 tons of equipment per race across 4 continents and between 17 countries by land, sea and air, to a tightly controlled timetable. DHL global network which links 220 countries and territories worldwide ensures that replacement transport can be provided at very short notice and from local resource, should any vehicle breakdown occur,” said Dan McHugh, Chief Executive Officer, DHL Express – Asia Pacific.