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00:01In Formula One, we put on race weekends of the size, scale and spectacle,
00:06rivaling the biggest events in the world 24 times a year.
00:10So moving the entire sport across the world isn't just about packing a few boxes.
00:15DHL transport up to 1,200 tonnes of equipment, worth millions of dollars for every race,
00:22which are shipped using a mix of sea, air and land transport.
00:26Known as multimodal freight solutions, these are decided upon depending on location.
00:32For the 2025 season, there are nine races in Europe and 15 flyaways,
00:37with F1's logistics partner on hand to cater to all.
00:41It truly is a symphony of coordination where the race behind the race
00:45balances speed, cost and sustainability for the ultimate global calendar.
00:51Sea freight is slowest but is far more sustainable for flyaways.
00:55It's typically used for bulkier items, which are non-critical to race performance,
01:00such as garages and fan zones.
01:03Teams typically ship five to six sets of identical containers via sea,
01:07allowing for rotation across the calendar, with freights leapfrogging across the globe.
01:12For example, the sea freight for the race in China shipped straight to Miami,
01:16while the freight that was used in Japan went to Singapore and Baku,
01:20as well as to a host of different teams' factories across Europe to further work on dedicated parts.
01:26F1 is now much more reliant on sea freight than ever before, reducing the carbon footprint of the championship.
01:33Air freight is faster and necessary for shorter turnarounds.
01:37It's reserved for critical items such as the cars, as well as sensitive IT and broadcast equipment,
01:44which is a vital part of an F1 race and has top priority getting to the next race destination in time for setup.
01:51Road freight is another vital part of the logistics network.
01:55For European races, almost all cargo is transported this way.
01:59And with up to 400 trucks on the road at a time, often with multiple drivers on board to ensure constant movement,
02:07equipment can be moved quickly in large convoys in a more sustainable way.
02:12All these transport methods have four crucial considerations.
02:16Speed. Can this cargo get to the desired location, often across the world, in time?
02:22Volume. In a paddock that continues to grow, which heavier items can go by sea,
02:27where freight is much cheaper and more sustainable rather than by air?
02:31Cost. Can multiple modes be deployed that keep costs down, allowing teams to spend more time working on parts rather than moving them?
02:40Sustainability. Most importantly, does our freight decision help fulfil F1's net zero carbon target by 2030?
02:49Logistics planning starts a year in advance and meticulous detail is required for every weekend.
02:56For the 2025 season opener in Melbourne, sea freight was stored in Qatar and shipped 42 days in advance to the race,
03:03while air freight arrived 10 days before.
03:06If races are separated by two weeks or more, there's a window of 10 days for travel and transit.
03:11But for the three triple headers, where three Grand Prix take place on successive weekends and five double headers on the 2025 calendar,
03:20there are far more logistical challenges, particularly when different time zones are involved.
03:25In these instances, each team elects their most important air freight containers to arrive at the next Grand Prix first,
03:32and those are then prioritised for travel.
03:34Much of the freight is already packed up before Sunday's race, such as spare parts and engines that won't be used,
03:40and the track begins to empty hours after the wheel-to-wheel action ends.
03:44By 10 o'clock the next day, all air freight cargo has usually left.
03:49The cargo is placed in the pit lane at the next track, but in order to maintain control over the supply chain,
03:55no team is allowed to start unloading until the last team's freight has reached the circuit, usually on a Tuesday.
04:03By 6pm on Wednesday, all freight must be cleared from the pit lane,
04:07while work continues in the garages to ensure everything is fully operational and ready for the weekend.
04:13As soon as one race ends, the next begins.
04:16It's where precision and planning come into play.
04:21Speed, efficiency and adaptability.
04:24Just like in an F1 race, logistics is about gaining every second.
04:29As ever, there are several tricks of the trade to keep the show on the road.
04:33In the modern world, artificial intelligence has become more and more prevalent.
04:38F1's official logistics partner DHL is integrating AI into its planning processes
04:44to optimise routes by forecasting potential travel disruptions, such as weather or strikes.
04:49Real-time tracking is also being developed for air and sea freight,
04:53while all trucks in the European DHL fleet are equipped with GPS to monitor fuel consumption and optimise routes for maximum efficiency.
05:02Some locations, meanwhile, pose unique challenges.
05:06Take Monaco, where hospitality and broadcast procedures go into overdrive,
05:11but where narrow streets make access as tough as it is to win Sunday's race.
05:16Here, hundreds of trucks must park outside the city's boundaries in three holding bays,
05:21but are called into Monte Carlo vehicle by vehicle,
05:24with only a very small number allowed into the city at a time.
05:27This one-in, one-out process is difficult before the weekend,
05:31and even more so after the race when crowds disperse onto the streets.
05:36But the impossible is always made possible by DHL, through close collaboration with F1, Automobile Club de Monaco and the team.
05:45For the Las Vegas Grand Prix, air, sea and land freight solutions are all utilised.
05:50Due to the unique surroundings of Vegas, a holding yard is set up and trucks are called in sequential order
05:56to prevent bottlenecks and traffic issues.
06:00Hundreds of trucks pass through this in year one and two.
06:03Then, there's the paperwork.
06:05Some countries have complex customs processes requiring multiple clearances.
06:10In China, even something as simple as fuel needs special approval.
06:15In Europe, hundreds of carnets, documents that help facilitate the importation and export of goods,
06:21are required for every European race, even for the smallest of components.
06:26We have also seen unique external factors threaten to disrupt the F1 calendar,
06:31where split-second execution is essential.
06:34In 2022, amid a global pandemic, three teams were caught in a web of sea freight delays for the Australian Grand Prix,
06:42due to a backlog in Singapore.
06:44On this occasion, DHL swiftly deployed three of its own air freighters,
06:49a team of 100 people working around the clock to deliver all 150 tons of cargo on the Monday before the race.
06:57For races in the Middle East, Jeddah Port has recently been used as a gateway to avoid the Red Sea,
07:04with trucks sent across the region for the various races.
07:07The regionalisation of the calendar, such as shifting the Japanese Grand Prix earlier in the season,
07:12before a European heavy summer, and hitting the Americas in the autumn,
07:16has helped more races use multiple modes of transportation,
07:20which aids with contingency plans as well as sustainability measures.
07:24Sustainability is a key player in F1 logistics,
07:28and with a commitment to reaching net zero by 2030,
07:31F1 are transforming how freight moves with DHL.
07:35The fleet of biofuel-powered trucks for European races has been increased,
07:41now also delivering renewable energy equipment,
07:43such as solar panels and battery energy storage systems from 2025 onwards.
07:48These trucks run on HVO 100's second-generation biofuel,
07:53which slash carbon emissions compared to diesel.
07:56In the air, DHL's fuel-efficient Boeing 777 fleet is reducing carbon emissions by around 17%,
08:05compared to older cargo planes, making global freight transport more efficient than ever.
08:10And then there's Sustainable Aviation Fuel, or SAF.
08:15By switching to SAF for Formula One's charter flights, DHL is cutting carbon emissions.
08:21By combining cutting-edge logistics with greener solutions,
08:25F1 and DHL is proving that speed and sustainability can go hand in hand.
08:31The challenge? Keeping up with a season that never slows down.
08:36With time the biggest all-round challenge, what does a season look like in motion?
08:41Let's follow the freight in 2025.
08:44Australia marks the first big test after the official testing in Bahrain.
08:50With the longest transit times, different modes of freight transport,
08:53and biggest time zone shifts, teams work around the clock to get everything ready.
08:59The new season is underway and we're racing to turn number one!
09:04On Sunday, freight is packed up.
09:06Some straight to China by air and some by sea to go back to Europe,
09:10as well as Singapore, Canada and even Qatar.
09:14After China, the first triple header of the year takes us to Japan, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia,
09:19with multiple modes of transport.
09:22Japan picks up air freight coming in from China, thanks to its convenient location.
09:27For Bahrain, sea freight is shipped from Europe to Jeddah and then moved by road.
09:32But here's where it gets interesting.
09:35Because of tight timelines, there isn't enough time to truck equipment from Bahrain to Saudi Arabia.
09:41Instead, parts of F-1's broadcast equipment, around 65 tonnes of it,
09:46are leapfrogged from Japan to Saudi Arabia by air.
09:50To make it all work, the triple header relies on three separate sets of sea freight rotating through the schedule.
09:56Over 7,000 miles away, Miami was next to welcome the F-1 Circus into town,
10:03with sea freight arriving from China, Australia and the UK, and air freight from Saudi Arabia.
10:09Oscar Piastri wins the Miami Grand Prix!
10:13Three Grand Prix victories in a row!
10:16To make these sea freight routes work on time, containers were shipped from Shanghai and Melbourne
10:21to the west coast of the US at Long Beach, then trucked across the country to Miami in just three days.
10:30The first European races of the season begin in Imola,
10:33before heading into the iconic streets of Monaco and then on to Barcelona.
10:38The majority of freight arrives via land, from team factories and regional hubs.
10:43The relatively short 500km distance between Imola and Monaco
10:47makes truck movements far simpler than many other sectors.
10:51But the logistical challenges of accessing Monaco, with its tight streets and limited infrastructure,
10:57ultimately negate any transportation time savings.
11:01Imola, one of F-1's classic Grand Prix circuits, brings its own challenges.
11:06Though it's a permanent racetrack, it's nestled within a town and offers limited space,
11:11making it difficult to accommodate the nearly 400 trucks needed for set-up and derig.
11:17By the time the paddock reaches Barcelona, the third race in a triple header,
11:22extra manpower is brought in to relieve team members who have been on the road for over three weeks.
11:28A brief pause to the European season comes in the shape of the Canadian Grand Prix.
11:33Freight arrives from Miami by road, and from the UK and Europe by sea,
11:37with one kit equipment flown in from Barcelona.
11:40Teams are up against the clock, having to quickly pack up in Barcelona,
11:44return equipment to their factories,
11:46reconfigure it from European to fly-away mode,
11:49and deliver it to European departure airports by the Friday after the Spanish Grand Prix.
11:55Montreal's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, located on an island in the middle of the St. Lawrence River,
12:00brings its own set of challenges.
12:02With space at a premium, freight arrival and departure must be meticulously planned.
12:08From China, sea freight travels to Miami via the west coast,
12:12before being trucked directly to Canada right after the Miami Grand Prix.
12:16After the race, freight is sent on to Austin in a similar way.
12:20Looking to the future, using trains is being explored as a more sustainable option for the North American leg of the season.
12:27The trucks hit the road once again, heading for the hills of Spielberg and the iconic Silverstone Circuit.
12:34In 2025, it's Norris' name on the trophy!
12:39This leg includes the longest drive of the European calendar, involving a channel crossing into the UK.
12:45Despite the distance, it all has to be completed in the shortest turnaround time, due to the back-to-back race schedule.
12:52After a three-week interlude, we head down to Spa and across to Budapest before the official four-week summer break.
12:59And a trip to Zandvoort and then Monza, before the eight-race countdown to the end of the season overseas.
13:05Following the race in Monza, all equipment heads back to the factories across the UK and Europe for sorting, work and repacking,
13:13before arriving in Azerbaijan for round 17.
13:17Sea freight arrives in Singapore from Saudi Arabia or Europe, with air freight arriving from Azerbaijan.
13:23Charles Leclerc is able to get ahead. Entertaining battle between these two.
13:27After the race, the sea freight heads off to Qatar for the second-to-last race of the season.
13:32The journey from Austin to Mexico City spans roughly 940 miles, but the logistics are far from simple.
13:40While the F1 cars and all other technical equipment are flown in as part of the usual air freight operation,
13:46the team and broadcast freight comes via a dedicated set of sea containers, shipped directly from the UK and Europe.
13:53Meanwhile, the Paddock Club-related freight makes the overland trip from Austin by road.
13:58These layered logistics reflect the added customs complexity around this sector,
14:03making it one of the more intricate freight movements of the season.
14:07The F1 circuit hits its fifth continent of the season in South America for the Brazil race.
14:13The Sao Paulo Grand Prix is underway!
14:17Apart from Brazil, the majority of the race is in the back end of the calendar.
14:20A mix of sea freight, air and road freight will need to work intricately to meet the demands of the calendar.
14:26From Brazil, the season moves on to the bright lights of Las Vegas.
14:30With 21 races down, there is one final push needed to deliver the last three races of the calendar year.
14:37Las Vegas is a Saturday night race, which plays a critical role in the logistics puzzle.
14:43That one-day shift means air freight can arrive in Qatar by Tuesday morning, just in time to begin set-up.
14:49If Vegas ran on the traditional Sunday schedule, the 10-hour time difference would make a back-to-back turnaround with Qatar impossible.
14:58It takes around 20 hours of pure flying time from Las Vegas to Doha.
15:03Fortunately, 777 aircraft can handle the journey with just one technical stop for refuelling.
15:09That efficiency is crucial, especially with freight moving across 8,000 miles in what is the season's longest quick turnaround.
15:19The 777s also produce fewer emissions compared to older models, making them a more sustainable option for this high-pressure leg of the season.
15:28Sea freight for Las Vegas is moved by road from Austin, while Qatar's sea freight originates from Singapore.
15:35Abu Dhabi, the season finale, receives its sea freight from Azerbaijan.
15:40From the deserts of Qatar to the twilight finish in Abu Dhabi, this final leg represents a remarkable feat of global coordination to close out the season.
15:50McLaren are world champions of 2024.
15:54After 24 races, it all comes down to the final showdown.
15:59The mission for F1 and DHL? Deliver every piece of equipment on time, intact and ready for the ultimate race.
16:07The work by no means stops there, of course, with preparations already underway for the following year.
16:13The off-season is the shortest it's ever been in Formula One.
16:17And with an all-new team in Cadillac, there is added strain on planning and workload for 2026.
16:23From the moment the first piece of cargo sets off to the final piece of equipment being unpacked, F1's logistics network is a masterclass in coordination, precision and efficiency.
16:35Every race weekend is a global challenge, with thousands of personnel playing a part in transporting crucial kit over sea, air and land to deliver the ultimate sporting spectacle, whatever the circumstances.
16:49And there's no slowing down.
16:53As we continue our journey towards becoming net zero by 2030, we're constantly exploring new innovations to make our travel greener, proving speed and sustainability can co-exist.
17:05For over 20 years, F1 and DHL have pushed the frontier forward in creating the sport we love, allowing our drivers and teams to shine when it matters most.
17:16It's what we do best. Race, after race, after race.
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