F1 drivers travel arrangements?

[minghis]

Does anyone know if the F1 drivers/testers have to pay for their own travel or is it all part of the deal?
Do they choose how to travel or do they have to go economy - questions I'd love to have answered if anyone knows.

[ewenm]

Travel for work so I suspect their employer pays.

Private jets & helicopters perhaps?

[minghis]

Agreed on the private jets and helicopter thoughts, but would the team willingly pay the huge amounts a driver would spend on this - it must run into nearly millions if you take into account testing, sponsor appearances and the races themselves, not forgetting staying in the best hotels..

[Dr JonboyG]

It really depends on the team. I doubt the Spyker or Super Aguri drivers are flying any better than business class.

[EL77]

with Jenson's current performance i think he is probably just getting into a french port on a slow boat from the states.

most travel ist class but everything is arranged for them so all they need to do is wake up in one country and everything is done for then to go to bed in another.

[Fidgits]

They have people employed to arrange travel and hotels for the entire team.

I believe some teams send the team principals and drivers by Private Jet (where applicable) others send them first class on standard airlines.

Engineers, PA's etc tend to travel buisness/economy on standard airlines depending on the team and their position within the company.

[woof]

yep there's one company alot of them use called LSA Ltd. www.travelf1.com

I heard DC occasionally flies Ryan air though !

Alot of the driver own or have part leases in Private Jets - it's not hugely expensive. Private charter of a 8 seater lear will have you back in Nice from Cranfield Airfield in about 100mins for a one way price of £8k - which isnt that bad - throw in a helicopter to pick you up from Silverstone to Cranfield £800 and then Nice to Monaco £200 - all in for about £10k

[german tony]

So, basically, you stalking types have had it.

[WilliBetz]

Travel arrangements for team personnel vary between teams and from year to year (sometimes according to ranking). I know some Sauber guys who would moan about the long walk to the back of the plane, and were pretty pleased when BMW took over...

But on the subject of driver travel arrangements, I remember talking to a driver who told me about the time he was being courted by a team principal with a reputation as a tough negotiator. He was collected by the boss's jet to sign the contract, over lunch at a nice restaurant. After lunch, everybody feeling good about the meal and the deal, he innocently enquired whether the jet could return him to Paris, rather than his home airport. The reply, in a thick Scots accent...

"Cough... You've signed to work for me now - you'll want a taxi to the airport".

WilliBetz

[loneranger]

EL77 said:

with Jenson's current performance i think he is probably just getting into a french port on a slow boat from the states.

It is the Honda that is performing badly not Jenson.
Put him in the McLaren and he would be on the podium.

[freedman]

loneranger said:

EL77 said:

with Jenson's current performance i think he is probably just getting into a french port on a slow boat from the states.

It is the Honda that is performing badly not Jenson.
Put him in the McLaren and he would be on the podium.

He's performing at a level considerably below that of his team mate

Much like all of those you promote as the best there is they're so good they cant even beat their moderately good team mates

[Fidgits]

loneranger said:

EL77 said:

with Jenson's current performance i think he is probably just getting into a french port on a slow boat from the states.

It is the Honda that is performing badly not Jenson.
Put him in the McLaren and he would be on the podium.

Gotta love the blind faith...

Especially from someone who reckons Hamilton "isnt all that" and its all the Mclaren, even though he's competitive with a 2 time World Champion who did it in far from the best car in the grid both years..

[MrKipling43]

Fidgits said:

loneranger said:

EL77 said:

with Jenson's current performance i think he is probably just getting into a french port on a slow boat from the states.

It is the Honda that is performing badly not Jenson.
Put him in the McLaren and he would be on the podium.

Gotta love the blind faith...

Especially from someone who reckons Hamilton "isnt all that" and its all the Mclaren, even though he's competitive with a 2 time World Champion who did it in far from the best car in the grid both years..

Hurrah another totally boring and predictable Button argument... Zzzzzzzzzzzzz

Anyway, I think this chap knows his onions:

http://www.crash.net/news_view~cid~1~id~150241.htm

[skinny]

i sat next to jenson on a budget plane flying from seviilla to nice, between the Barcelona GP and the Paul ricard test... and i've shared a plane on the way to a test in Jerez with sato, davidson, kartekian (sp!?) kovaleinnen - i don't think many take private jets

Edited by skinny on Wednesday 27th June 18:09

[GreigR]

You would be surprised, I fly business jets for a living and almost every team use them, not all the time of course. Usually to & from races. For tests when they have a bit more they usually use the airlines.