Jumping from long-haul economy flight to long-haul economy flight, via an all-nighter repairing a car damaged in practice in Azerbaijan, Bahrain, or could be anywhere given the inside of a garage never changes from week to week, the life of a Formula 1 mechanic is an unheralded one with little to no glamour.
So it was with a great deal of interest – and privilege – that we went through the back door of the Red Bull Racing garage at the British Grand Prix to observe how the mechanics operate and keep the F1 show on the road. Without these guys and girls, Max Verstappen wouldn’t even get as far as the team radio to be able to slag off the engine supplier, nor Daniel Ricciardo the chance to enjoy a champagne-sweat cocktail on the podium.
In Red Bull’s case during the race, there’s about a dozen on each side of the garage, sat with their backs to the garage entrance watching various screens (from the live TV feed to data tracking), each wearing a set of big headphones that we were allowed to wear, too.
Long spells of silence are interrupted by the odd check in from a driver for progress on a rival, and a frequent turning of the airwaves blue with comments on the rate of progress (always too slow…) of a car in front of them.
So there the mechanics sit, headphones on, one and only pitstop of the race done already. One was having an ice lolly, a couple of others were on WhatsApp on their phones, one amusing himself having been sent an ‘It’s Coming Home’ meme that was being passed around the internet at the time England were definitely going to win the world cup. Job done.
Then it happened. A car goes off at the first corner. A switch is flicked, and the mechanics move to the edge of their seats. Over the radio, several quick but calm messages come: “Could be a safety car” is the gist of it, in among all the code.
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Changing tires
F1 is boring.
It’s simple....?!
A well rehearsed routine, each individual has one part to play, get it right and her presto!...2.2 seconds!,old adage, the more you practice the better you get, and maybe just once you absolutely nail it.