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16. March 2021Since 2004, DHL has been the official logistics partner and has won every ‘race behind the race’ for a timely execution of Formula 1® events worldwide. This year’s season opener takes place on March 28, 2021, in Bahrain. The new season features the largest race calendar in Formula 1® history with 23 races. The DHL Fastest Lap Award and Fastest Pit Stop Award are entering a new round.
(Bonn) Just before the start of the new FIA Formula 1® World Championship, DHL and Formula 1® are pleased to announce the extension of their long-standing partnership. DHL will remain the official logistics partner of Formula 1® for the coming years and will continue to be responsible for the transportation of the premier class of motorsport around the world. In 2021, there are 23 Grand Prix, the most ever in the Formula 1® race calendar. For the globally held races, DHL transports the racing cars, team equipment, oil and fuels, as well as broadcasting technology. Since 2004, DHL has been the official logistics partner and has consistently won every ‘race behind the race’ for a timely execution of Formula 1® on Grand Prix circuits worldwide.
© DHL
Proud of the Partnership
“We are proud to continue our unique partnership in the coming years,” says Arjan Sissing, Global Head of Brand Marketing at DHL. “Formula 1 has delivered the ultimate in speed, precision, and technology to its fans in over 1,000 races, and DHL, in turn, delivers Formula 1 around the globe. For more than four decades, we have been connected by our shared values and have won logistics races even before the first tires touch the track. We will always do our best to defend these titles.”
The logistics demands are enormous for each race weekend: the transport volume of up to 1,400 tons must be transported from one venue to another, often on a different continent, within the shortest time and with the highest reliability. To achieve this, DHL employs a team of motorsport logistics specialists who work closely with Formula 1® and the racing teams. Just like on the racetrack, logistics is about speed, precision, and cutting-edge technology.
Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1®, adds: “DHL is our long-standing global partner, and we are very pleased to have concluded a contract extension that underscores our strong and collaborative relationship. Over the past 16 years, we have delivered together on and off the track. We are proud to work with the world’s leading logistics provider and look forward to the biggest Formula 1® season of all time.”
The FIA Formula 1 World Championship 2021 begins on March 28, 2021, with the Bahrain Grand Prix and ends on December 12, 2021, with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The race calendar for the 2021 season includes a total of 23 races across five continents, making it the most extensive ever. Particularly challenging for drivers, teams, and the DHL logistics crew are the three triple headers, where three races are held on three consecutive weekends.
Three Triple Headers
The first triple header takes place in Europe: following the Belgian Grand Prix in Spa-Francorchamps on August 29, 2021, the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort on September 5, 2021, marks a new destination in the race calendar. A week later, on September 12, 2021, the Italian Grand Prix will be held in Monza.
The second triple header is logistically even more challenging, as significantly larger distances must be covered: a week after the Russian Grand Prix on September 26, 2021, in Sochi, the teams will head to the street circuit in Singapore on October 3, 2021, before all equipment is transported to Japan for the Suzuka Grand Prix on October 10.
The third triple header also involves long distances: the first stop is the United States Grand Prix on October 24, 2021, in Austin, Texas. From there, the journey continues to Mexico City, where the Mexican Grand Prix will take place on October 31, 2021. The triple header concludes on November 7 in São Paulo, Brazil.
Logistics Pushes the Limits
“In an intercontinental triple header, logistics pushes the limits of what is possible,” explains Paul Fowler, Global Motorsport Head, DHL Global Forwarding. “Even during the race, before the checkered flag falls, the first colleagues begin dismantling and loading the equipment.” The task becomes particularly challenging for the logistics team when parts need to be flown in and out during the three weeks of a triple header, for example, for inspection in specialized laboratories located around the world.
Scenes from the GP Austria in Spielberg (© DHL)
New events such as the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort, which has been reintroduced to the Formula 1® program, and the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, which will be held in 2021 on a new street circuit in Jeddah, also present challenges for the logistics teams. To ensure that every move is precise in an unfamiliar environment, scouts explore the new tracks. For Paul Fowler, the appeal of motorsport logistics lies precisely in these challenges: “Behind the scenes, we do everything we can to ensure that teams and drivers can perform at their best and that motorsport fans around the world get their money’s worth.”
DHL will also award two prizes for outstanding performances by drivers and teams this season with the DHL Fastest Lap Award and the DHL Fastest Pit Stop Award, which will be presented to the winners on the final day of the season in Abu Dhabi.
Cover image: © DPDHL / Image caption: Scenes from the Turkish GP
