F1 teams in discussions to add second factory shutdown during winter

thesociala
thesociala
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Formula 1 teams are working on introducing a winter factory shutdown similar to the current summer shutdown period for 2023.

Following regulations introduced in 2013, teams have been mandated to restrict factory work for 14 days to both save costs and also relieve pressure on staff, giving them time to go on holidays.

The break usually takes place in August when F1 has a gap of several weeks in the race schedule. All performance-related work is stopped, but departments or roles that focus on human resources, logistics and finances, and also media and marketing, are allowed to continue work.

The shutdown is now a core part of F1, and has become more important as the schedule has grown. In 2013 19 races were held but the 2023 F1 calendar features a record-breaking 24 rounds.

This year marks the first time since 2018 that the season has finished before December, but racing will start almost two weeks earlier than usual in 2023 as the world championship begins on March 5th.

The last time F1 began that early was in 2002, and only starting before March 5th twice in the 19 years before that.

“I think it’s great that the season finishes this couple of weeks earlier than in the past because everyone is really on the limiter, and I think we plan to introduce a shutdown in the coming year,” Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said on Saturday at last weekend’s Mexican Grand Prix.

“Not everyone is in agreement, but I would very much hope that we can do that for our staff. Having this week, couple of weeks more, is definitely a nice welcome. But on the other side, there’s many people in the factory who are going to work flat-out all through the Christmas and New Year. But for the race team, that’s clocking many air miles, that’s positive.

“There’s many of us team principals that would like to replicate what we have in the summer. At least starting at Christmas and then going into the new year for two weeks. But obviously that’s still being up for discussion, but there was a positive indication. For the well-being of the [team].”

His counterpart at Alpine, Otmar Szafnauer, expects the plan will go ahead in 2023. “This year it isn’t happening, so it’ll be next year,” he said.

“Christmas, it’s one of those things that always happens on the same day every year. It’s not like Thanksgiving. So I think it’s from the 23rd [of December]. So I think everyone gets Christmas Eve and Christmas day off. But that week, through to the start of the year.”

Szafnauer also believes the change will be positive for the sport. “The way I look at it is we’re doing more and more races. And if you don’t force shutdowns, people work through because it’s a strategic advantage. So if you remove that advantage, meaning everyone’s got to take it off, I think it’s good for all of us.”

As there is no winter shutdown at present restricting work, Szafnauer says Alpine’s wind tunnel “usually only shuts down two days”, for Christmas and New Year’s Day. “We used to shut it down two days, that’s it. So if you don’t force that [shutdown], you don’t get any time off.”

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