Several F1 teams, including Red Bull, Mercedes, McLaren and Aston Martin, arrived in Shanghai to find their cars disappeared due to delays in Melbourne goods. The FIA has adjusted the rules of curfew to help the teams recover lost time before the Chinese Grand Prix.
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A major logistical problem has disrupted the preparations for the next Chinese Grand Prix, because several Formula 1 teams would have arrived in Shanghai to find their cars missing. According to F1 photographer, Kym Illman, disturbances in freight transport after the Australian Grand Prix caused chaos, with four teams, Red Bull, Mercedes, McLaren and Aston Martin, but to receive their racing cars on the Shanghai International Circuit.
The major logistics disturbance strikes the preparations of the Chinese Grand Prix
The delay stems from “technical problems” in transporting the equipment of the Australian Grand Prix of last weekend in Melbourne, which resulted in a total of eight missing F1 cars. This reverse leaves the teams concerned less than 48 hours to prepare for the first training session on Friday. The delay could have a significant impact on the ability of the teams to refine their configurations before the race weekend.
“I think that many of the other teams can also be affected by this. There is a doubt that some of the F1 teams will have their cars ready for free training on Friday. It will be very tight to find out if the teams will have their cars or not,” Illman said in a video on YouTube.
“The equipment is normally wrapped on the track on a Sunday evening, then was transported to the next destination, that is to say Shanghai. The technical problems ended up training these big delays; normally, freight may arrive late on Monday evening, but certainly Tuesday morning-which gives the teams three or four days to prepare their cars for a free practice,” he added.
“The teams said it (their cars) will not arrive before 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. today (March 19). Indeed, they had more than 30 hours suffered from their preparation time. Many of the crew sit in hotels taking advantage of a day off because there is no meaning on the track if you do not have the bus.
In response to the logistical problem, the FIA has adjusted the curfew regulations, shortening the compulsory rest period from 11.5 hours to six hours to allow teams more time to work on their cars when you arrive. The Chinese Grand Prix of 2025 should take place on March 23 at 12:30 p.m. IST. Meanwhile, Lando Norris of McLaren won the Australian Grand Prix with Max Verstappen from Red Bull in second position and George Russell of Mercedes finishing third.
