Insights from Formula 1: Einhell goes behind the scenes of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team
During a Formula 1 race weekend, the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team’s racing garage is a hive of activity around the cars. The demands on the mechanics are incredibly high. Despite the many challenges, though, the mechanics love their job and step on the gas on race weekends. As Official Tool Expert of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team, Einhell receive exciting insights into the partnership.
High demands on the team
The eyes of the Formula 1 world will turn to Abu Dhabi November 26th, 2023, when the racing teams return to the Yas Marina Circuit – for the 15th time – ahead of the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the last race of the 2023 season.
As is the case before every race, the workshop of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team will be working at full speed in the days and hours leading up to the on-track action. The mechanics will be preparing the racing cars meticulously to make sure they are in perfect condition. Even during the training sessions, the team makes various adjustments to the car, such as to the suspension and aerodynamics, in the effort of improving performance. Repairing any damage the car picked up during the previous race is another example of the many vital tasks the team must undertake to strive for maximum performance. As the clock counts down to the next race, the 60 technical staff – 22 of whom are mechanics, with the rest being engineers and workshop technicians – must continue their all-important work with absolute precision.
No one knows that better than Matt Deane, Chief Mechanic of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team. “The workshop area is a dynamic and critical part of a Formula 1 race weekend, where careful planning and precision workmanship by the team can have a crucial influence on the outcome of the race. The whole team comes under enormous pressure and is faced with a huge variety of challenges. Tight schedules on race weekends, having to deal with different time zones, changing weather conditions and high stress levels are just some of the factors that impact on our day-to-day work and demand a high degree of resilience. Nevertheless, a passion for the sport and a love of detail are key elements of our job. We have to be extremely detail-oriented if we are to ensure that the car is in perfect condition,” says Matt Deane, shedding light on what goes on.
Precision mechanics are thankful for reliable cordless tools
It’s important, then, that the Chief Mechanic and his team can rely 100 percent on their Einhell products, as the team’s Official Tool Expert. As Deane recalls, “Einhell were perfectly prepared for their entry into this year’s Formula 1 campaign. Before the season began we had extensive product training with Einhell’s development experts and were able to equip our garage with cordless power that also offered us top endurance and flexibility.” That’s because reliable tools ensure safety in dynamic situations in the box, where every action needs to be just right.
“With its Power X-Change platform, Einhell offers us the advantage of using the same battery for multiple tools. It means we can work faster and more efficiently overall,” Matt Deane explains, adding: “In the Formula 1 environment we are constantly using Einhell tools, such as the 36-volt cordless leaf blower, under the toughest of conditions. The racing cars generate incredible heat from the combustion engine and brakes; we’re talking brakes that can be up to 500 degrees when the car enters the pit lane – the most extreme temperatures. That means our mechanics have to cool the brakes down quickly with the leaf blower to ensure the brakes and calipers are cooled down as fast as possible to avoid heatsoak from the brake material through to the calipers. The mechanics are then able to get back to work on the cars as soon as possible. Time is a critical factor here, because we only have a couple of minutes available to us during a qualifying turnaround in the garage. This only works if the tools deliver maximum performance.”
As the season draws to a close, DIY and garden tool manufacturer Einhell is also reflecting on the first year of its partnership with the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team. Dr. Markus Thannhuber, Chief Technology Officer of Einhell Germany AG, is highly satisfied: “Our experts from the development department are in constant touch with their colleagues on the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team. We give the engineers and mechanics the very best tools to use in what are hugely demanding situations. We utilize the experience gained from the Formula 1 box in order to refine our series products. And ultimately it is our end customers who derive the greatest benefit.”
About Einhell Germany AG
Einhell is a leading manufacturer of state-of-the-art tools and devices for the house and garden and will be celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2024. From its headquarters in Landau/Isar (Bavaria), the internationally successful company has continuously expanded its innovative rechargeable battery platform Power X-Change and is now the market leader in the area of cordless tools and garden devices. For many years Einhell has set new standards in terms of endurance, performance, and safety. Einhell customers appreciate the freedom of cordless operation for all their DIY projects, as well as the excellent value for money that Einhell products represent and the first-class customer service offered by the company.