Final stress test for Formula 1
The final week of Formula 1 pushes the drivers to their limits once again with a twelve-hour time shift from Las Vegas to Abu Dhabi.
"Especially at the end of the season, when everyone is already a bit tired, it's a bit much," emphasized World Champion Max Verstappen (26) from Red Bull: "I'll be completely lost in the time zone."
What's more, the comeback in Las Vegas was sometimes run late at night and the drivers and the entire team staff also had a different rhythm. This was more in line with the Japanese time zone.
"I think we were all fantasizing and hallucinating a bit," said Daniel Ricciardo (34) from Alpha Tauri, referring to the particularly late training shift in Las Vegas. The combination of the race in the Nevada desert with the Grand Prix in the United Arab Emirates also poses a logistical challenge.
Some of the freight was sent on its way by ship after the Singapore race in mid-September. Further material was transported by air freight from Mexico directly to Abu Dhabi at the end of October, and the rest was shipped from Las Vegas on Monday and Tuesday, explained service provider DHL in response to an inquiry from the German Press Agency.
The drivers are even more concerned about next year's calendar. 24 races are planned, more than ever before. And then there are also three Grand Prix races on three consecutive weekends at the end - starting with Las Vegas. From there, the plan is to continue to Qatar and Abu Dhabi. "It doesn't get my vote," said Ricciardo: "We'll be destroyed."
The upcoming GP Abu Dhabi marks an important motorsport event in the Formula 1 calendar, posing a challenge with its twelve-hour time difference from the previous race in Las Vegas. Max Verstappen, the World Champion, shared his concerns about getting disoriented in the new time zone.
During the final week of the season, the Formula 1 drivers and their teams must navigate the logistical complexities of competing in both Las Vegas and the GP Abu Dhabi, with some freight being transported via ship and air freight.
Source: www.dpa.com
