Each year between late March and late November, nearly half a billion people around the world tune in to at least one Formula 1 race weekend and – pandemics permitting – more than four million spectators attend a race in person.
At speeds of up to 230 mph, F1 cars can certainly move on the track, but you’re unlikely to be overtaken by one on the motorway. So how are F1 cars transported between races, sometimes covering thousands of miles to reach the next venue?
The answer is an impressive feat of vehicle transport, but it goes far beyond that as the actual car transport is just one element in shipping every component, piece of kit and even tools like screwdrivers, along with the teams’ lavish motorhomes.
So how do they transport F1 cars to ensure they arrive in perfect condition and ready to race?
F1 car transport in 2022
You might be surprised (or perhaps not) to learn that F1 car transport in 2022 does not involve intact vehicle transport.
Instead, the cars are dismantled and the components loaded on to pallets. Each chassis is bolted to a frame to keep it safe during its long journey between the different racetracks on the F1 calendar.
Some equipment, such as hand tools and parts of the motorhomes, goes on ahead by sea freight, but this takes too long for the cars themselves, which undergo design tweaks throughout the season.
As such, the cars travel by air freight, allowing them to cover the thousands of miles to host countries like Australia, with ‘some assembly required’ on arrival.
F1 vehicle transport in Europe
Okay, the cars are dismantled for long-haul vehicle transport – but what about F1 vehicle transport in Europe, where the cars can go by road?
It’s still common for teams to remove the aerodynamic trim and many of the delicate components, such as gearboxes, which are packaged in protective foam shells for transportation onboard customised trucks.
Multiple drivers may share the job, working in shifts so that the car transporters don’t have to stop until they reach their destination – an impressive feat of logistics and a lesson in how to transport the planet’s most famous sports cars.
How to transport a sports car
If you don’t have a pit crew waiting to put your vehicle back together again, you need to know how to transport a sports car in one piece, and that’s where Ontime Automotive have you and your vehicle covered – literally.
Our covered car transporters allow your pride and joy to go by road, without adding miles to its clock or any wear and tear to its engine (we can even load and unload it without starting the ignition).
Professional uniformed drivers mean your collector car is in safe hands every step of the way, and we’re insured up to £5 million per transporter load, just in case.
To find out more or to make an enquiry about transporting a sports car to a track meet, a new owner or just from A to B for any reason, contact us today and we’ll be happy to help.