The summer holidays are over: also for Formula 1. This weekend the Dutch Grand Prix will take place at Circuit Zandvoort. Everyone is eagerly awaiting Max Verstappen’s performance. But the logistical race for the real race on Sunday is at least as challenging. “But failure is not an option.” Peter de Weerd of Warehousetotaal went to Zandvoort for the story behind the race.
The Formula 1 circus has arrived in the Dutch seaside resort, and it has not gone unnoticed. Days before the race, the roads around Zandvoort are already busy with tourists, enthusiastic race fans and countless trucks. Trucks are at the heart of the logistics for this prestigious racing event, which is part of a ‘double header’ – two consecutive race weekends in Europe. Zandvoort is the first stop, and this brings with it considerable logistical challenges, as a behind-the-scenes tour provided by DHL reveals.
DHL logistics partner F1
DHL has been the official logistics partner of Formula 1 since 2004. DHL is responsible for the transport of the race teams’ equipment to and from the circuits. It also handles the logistics of the F1 TV village and the so-called event technical center. This is the technical heart of the Formula 1 circus. From this center, from the outside no more than a large tent, all connections to the outside world take place, as well as the data from the cars to the pit boxes and vice versa. Simon Price, logistics coordinator and site manager of DHL Motor Sports Team: “This is perhaps the most important part of all, because without this technical center there is no Formula 1.”
Simon Price r) talking to a DHL colleague. Photo: Diederik van der Laan / Dutch Photo Agency
Zandvoort unique logistical challenge
Despite DHL’s years of experience in Formula 1, DHL has been involved in the sport for forty years, the past twenty years as a logistics partner, Zandvoort is an extra challenge. The reason is space. Although the race has been on the calendar again since 2021 and three years of experience have been gained, Zandvoort remains an odd duck in terms of logistics, Price agrees.
“Zandvoort is tight, it’s like you have to put a litre bottle of water in a half-litre glass.” This is not only reflected in the size of the hospitality units of the various teams, which are a lot smaller than during other races due to the limited space around the circuit, but also logistically it requires adjustments. Think of the supply routes and the loading and unloading areas. “There is no room for trucks around the circuit, which means that some parking areas are about twenty kilometres away. That requires extra resources to get everything here on time, but we always make it. Failure is not an option.”
Construction of F1 paddock by DHL. Photo: Diederik van der Laan / Dutch Photo Agency
Temporary storage
Goods for the race in Zandvoort mainly come from Belgium. The DHL Motorsports Team works closely with regular partners. For the transport from the circuit in Spa (the last race before the summer break) to Zandvoort, a storage location of Ninatrans near Liège was used. The goods were cross-docked there manually. The fuels, depending on the brand, come from the United Kingdom and Germany, which increases the complexity due to the different rules per country, certainly due to Brexit.
For the two back-to-back race weekends in Zandvoort and Monza, DHL is moving almost two hundred tons of freight between the circuits. This includes everything from tires and car parts to fuel and guest lounge supplies. DHL is deploying 37 trucks for this, while the race teams often transport their own cars within Europe themselves, bringing the total number of trucks to 300.
Sustainability
DHL has recently started using only trucks that run on biofuel HVO. This has reduced CO2 emissions by around 70 percent compared to three years ago, when DHL only used diesel trucks. Sustainability is also a challenge for F1 and the teams themselves, as they want to operate emission-neutral by 2030. To achieve this goal, small but smart adjustments are being made to the packaging of goods, on the advice of DHL. For example, teams have adjusted the size of the boxes in which goods are transported. They now use boxes that can be stacked economically in chamois containers and in a Boeing 777.
Price: “These adjustments allow us to transport more efficiently and be more flexible. We can quickly transfer the boxes full of equipment to the desired modality at that moment. This saves freight space, time for us and money for the teams, money that they can use for the cars.”
Flexibility
Flexibility is essential because time pressure is constantly palpable. “There’s always something that needs to be sorted out at the last minute,” says Price. “For example, car parts that need to be delivered to a team quickly.” Once the race in Zandvoort is over, the trucks leave for Monza – an 18-hour journey. To ensure that the trucks don’t come to a standstill due to driving time restrictions, DHL sends drivers ahead to take turns. In Formula 1, there’s no room for delay, Price emphasises: “In commercial logistics, you can stretch deadlines, but in Formula 1, everything is fixed. The race starts at 3pm on Sunday, regardless of the conditions. So no is not an option. If everything goes well, you don’t hear anyone talk about it. It’s only when something goes wrong that people notice us. Fortunately, we’re doing well. Yes, it can be hectic at times and we’re away more often than we are at home, but it’s a fantastic job.”
