A twelve hour flight to Sao Paulo and a delayed flight from Sao Paulo to Curitiba. Yet another case of air pollution helping bring the WTCC to the motorsport fans around the world.
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| Container unloading in Curitiba |
It is winter time in Brazil and cold weather and rain seems to have taken even the Brazilians by surprise. Some of the Truckies have been here for a few days already, but at least they can prepare their garages at a less hurried pace. It is always good to see old faces again and talk motor racing. Some of the Truckies have been testing at Snetterton, Pembrey and Mira in the UK. While others have been at racetracks in Italy and Spain. Some of the guys have even had to move their whole workshop to another building. A major task in itself. A lucky few, and it is only a few, have just been enjoying the time off between Antwerp container loading and the race in Brazil. The prospect of warmer weather by the weekend has put a bit of a smile
on some faces. Dry weather means slick tyres and a slightly easier
workload for those Truckies who also look after the car,s tyres.
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| Proteam cars |
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| Tyre testing in progress |
Something happened today which highlights the importance off having skilled and knowledgeable Truckies in a team. One team needed petrol for the grid trolley generators and bottle compressors. As they did not have a hire car, they used a car from another team and offered to get petrol for them as well. A simple task......or is it?
In Brazil, many car engines are adapted to run on ALCOOL. Brazil is considered to have the world's first sustainable fuel economy and the biofuel industry leader,
a policy model for other countries; and its sugarcane ethanol is cheap and widely available. Now the Truckie on this petrol buying mission does not know this and returns to the circuit with several litres of ALCOOL.
OH DEAR !!!! BIG MISTAKE.
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| What would you choose, A or G????? |
The job of a Truckie can not be learnt from a book. Trial and error, or a good teacher, or even my blog are the only real options. A Truckie might be asked to go to a supermarket to buy sugar for the team in Hungary. Do you know the Hungarian word for sugar? They might have to buy nuts or bolts in China. Can you do this?
And they might have to buy petrol in Brazil...........
What happens when the team are working late at night in the garages and you need to feed them? In your own language, it is easy to telephone for pizza and have it delivered. But can you do this in Spain when you do not speak spanish? It is the Truckie who is normally sent out to drive on unknown roads, in an unknown country, and buy food for the team. A Truckie who can do this sort of job is an integral part of a race team team abroad. It is a simple job that can be very, very challenging and many people would not even want to attempt it.
The Truckie who has bought ALCOOL instead of petrol, has just learnt another lesson and was sent away again to buy the right stuff.
Truckies are renowned in the paddock for talking to many people in other teams. It is a good way to share information and constantly learn. A Truckie who does not talk to other people is a Truckie who knows nothing.
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| Garage set up in Curitiba |
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| Some teams have completed their garages early. |
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