Mercedes Motorhome Tour
We were fortunate enough for Mercedes AMG F1 team to provide us with Paddock Passes for testing at Silverstone so we could have a sneaky peek at their Motorhome. We also managed to have a chat with Tobi, Motorhome Manager, to find out exactly how it works and how they build it. We were surprised by the amount of time, effort and hard work that goes into just this aspect of the race weekend.
THE MOTORHOME
The motorhome is completely dismantled and rebuilt at every race weekend in the European leg of the season. It is transported by lorry to all the tracks, with the exception of Azerbaijan as they're too far to drive to and they have permanent buildings to use, as do the rest of the 'flyaway' races throughout the season. The trucks carrying the motorhome arrive at the track on the Saturday before a race and it can take until Tuesday to build it, Wednesday is for the finishing touches (to make it look pretty) so that it's ready for the drivers and press on Thursday. It takes 2 days to take it down and pack it up.
Each floor comprises 13 containers - 11 standard sized, 2 special sized - which comes to 6 trucks per floor.
The lorries are packed with 2 sections each and they are placed one on top of the other inside, so when it comes to building they can just slide the sections out and fix them together.
The kitchen is fitted with everything needed to feed the staff and guests over the weekend. The appliances all have the connections for gas and electric and when they arrive at the circuit, they connect to the mains and away they go. Just like when you go camping and have an electric hook up for your caravan.
You can see how they section it up, the pillars, ceiling tiles and silver rods on the floor all match up to make sections.
Once you know how the motorhome is sectioned into areas, the signs are everywhere and you can see how it's done.
Now you know how it's done and how long it takes, how on earth do they manage to do the back to back race weekends?
Do they not have any sleep??
They arrive Saturday and build until Tuesday/Wednesday, then on Sunday evening start to dismantle it, but then they only have Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday to drive to the next circuit and rebuild it again ready for the press on Thursday!!
I cannot imagine the amount of work and effort or the amount of hours they put in to get this done, but they assure me they do manage it as they only have 1 motorhome... so they have to...
All the lorries have GPS and are tracked and in constant contact to avoid any delays and so they know where the others are.
We asked Tobi what would happen if there was a problem and the tuck didn't make it (they have no back up plans for this!) they would just have to try and build it the best they could with what arrived at the circuit. Luckily this has never happened and won't happen. BUT if it should, I have every confidence they would manage it. After all, look at the amazing work they already do...
GROUND FLOOR
Here you have the kitchen, bar, seating areas and the media office just off to the side. There are wall mounted TVs to keep up with what's going on.
This is where the Thursday press sessions for the drivers take place, the press usually get 20 minutes per driver.
FIRST FLOOR
This floor is classed as the "special floor", it's where all the VIPs hang out and where the drivers and Senior Management mingle and spend their down time.
There's another bar on this floor, conference room, the marketing office and most important of all, Toto's office and meeting room. Also more TVs.
ROOF TERRACE
Up here is the final bar and seating area, they also have TVs mounted so that the guests are able to keep up with the on track action, although some European races you are able to see the track from up here and watch the race.
ENGINEERING STATION
This is out the back of the garage, it houses the driver rooms as well as Paddy's office.
Also you will find the engineers based here from Mercedes, Pirelli and Petronas. The spares team and meeting room for the post race debrief is located in this structure too.
MOTORHOME FACTS
They have 25 lorries for just 2 buildings.
BEFORE adding lorries for cars, tools and garage equipment etc.
17 trucks for the motorhome
that's 13 for the structure and
4 for the furnishings and the roof terrace glass.
There's 2 containers per truck.
BUT... 2 trucks have 3 containers in as they're the side parts of the motorhome.
8 trucks are needed for the engineering station
That's one very large convoy of Mercedes lorries!!