Round the world with 32 tons of hand luggage

The Japanese and Chinese Grands Prix are the last back-to-back races of the 2008 Formula One season. These two races within a matter of days are particularly demanding for the logistics department of the BMW Sauber F1 Team.

The team transports about 32 tons of air cargo with it to Grands Prix outside of Europe. This includes several chassis, six to eight engines, between three and five sets of spare parts, 160 wheel rims, 100 radio sets, headsets, tools, computers, and pit lane equipment. This is all packed on three ten-foot pallets and in four so-called igloos - giant freight boxes. The logistical challenge is greatest when the overseas races are back-to-back, just as it is the case at the end of the 2008 season.

"The effort is enormous, and very difficult to appreciate from the outside," says Nick Heidfeld, praising the team in charge of transporting the material and guaranteeing that the race team has optimal working conditions - even in such far-flung locations. "Some journalists find it a bit contrived when a driver thanks his team over the radio at the end of the race. However, this is the least you can do when the crew makes so many sacrifices for yourself. Nobody does this job just to earn money. There is always more to it than that."